News comment: This week’s tragic Med shipwrecks show need for concerted action

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is appalled and deeply saddened by the avoidable and tragic loss of life at sea of some 80 people, among them refugees, in several incidents off North Africa in recent days.

The tragedies occurred when boats departing from Tunisia and Libya ran into difficulties off the coast of Tunisia. We extend our sincere condolences to the families and friends of the deceased while thanking the authorities who saved lives.

UNHCR has long called for more resources and stronger international efforts to enhance search-and-rescue capacity to avoid such tragedies. It has also highlighted the need for more safe and legal pathways for those fleeing war and persecution to access protection and avoid risking their lives at the hands of unscrupulous human traffickers and people smugglers.

We are gravely concerned about the high number of people still perishing at sea; over 1,600 people have died or gone missing on the Mediterranean and West Africa routes this year, following 3,530 last year.

A first boat carrying 70 people sank on Wednesday after departing from Salakta, south of Mahdia in Tunisia. The 30 survivors, primarily from Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire and Guinea, were rescued by the Tunisian Coast Guard and received medical assistance. The rest are assumed to have drowned.

Another departure from Zouara, western Libya, carrying 72 people, sank off Tunisia, and 40 people perished, according to reports from the 32 survivors. The boat was carrying refugees and migrants from Yemen, Bangladesh, Ghana, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, Gambia and Guinea. All survivors received medical assistance.

A third boat carrying 100 people, also departing from Zouara, was rescued by the Tunisian Coast Guard and the passengers from Syria, Iraq, Egypt, Pakistan and Bangladesh were all safely disembarked in Sfax after three days at sea.

UNHCR and partners are promoting a "route-based approach" with national authorities to strengthen protection and solutions along key routes, including those used between sub-Saharan Africa and the Mediterranean. The aim is to enhance protection and intensify assistance and solutions along the routes and to reduce refugees' need to move onwards.

For more information, please contact:

• In Amman: Tarik Argaz, [email protected], +962 791 223 095
• In Geneva: Matthew Saltmarsh, [email protected], +41 79 967 99 36

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