UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency 148d ago

Two recent incidents on the Mediterranean Sea jointly resulted in the death of 51 people, leaving 61 survivors and two people still missing. Reports of other possible incidents across the Mediterranean Sea in the last week or so may mean that these figures are an underestimate of the actual human toll. We cannot allow the Mediterranean to remain a graveyard for those seeking safety. The latest tragedies occurred during Cyclone Harry, which battered Tunisia, Malta and southern Italy and heavily disrupted rescue operations. Distress calls reportedly lacked precise locations due to the very bad weather, impacting the ability to provide immediate rescue and assistance and ensure timely disembarkation in a place of safety. These appalling wrecks cannot be accepted as inevitable. They are preventable. Lives are being lost because safe alternatives and viable protection options are too often out of reach. Only bold new collective action will prevent further tragedies.