Unhcr: Nearly 3,000 People Lost Crossing The Sea To Europe In '21

Last year, more than 3,000 migrants died or went missing attempting to travel the Central and Western Mediterranean and the Atlantic to reach Europe, according to UNHCR spokesman Shabia Mantoo. This is according to a new UNHCR study issued today, which begs for immediate assistance to avoid fatalities and safeguard refugees and asylum seekers embarking on perilous land and sea trips.

On the Central and Western Mediterranean routes, 1,924 persons were reported dead or missing in 2021, while 1,153 people died or went missing on the Northwest African maritime route to the Canary Islands.

In 2020, 1,776 people were reported dead or missing along the three routes. According to the data, an additional 478 persons have died or gone missing at sea since the beginning of the year. The majority of the water crossings were made in crowded, unseaworthy inflatable boats, many of which crashed or deflated, resulting in fatalities, according to the report.

It was shown that the maritime route from West African coastal republics such as Senegal and Mauritania to the Canary Islands is long and dangerous, taking up to ten days. In these waters, several vessels strayed off course or vanished without a trace. According to the research, land routes remain very risky, with even more people dying on travels over the Sahara Desert and isolated border areas, in detention facilities, or while in the hands of smugglers or traffickers.

Extrajudicial killings, unlawful and arbitrary imprisonment, sexual and gender-based violence, forced labour, slavery, forced marriage, and other severe human rights violations are among the abuses recorded by those using these routes, according to the report.

The COVID-19 pandemic and accompanying border controls, which were still in effect in 2021, had an influence on migration to North Africa and European coastal nations, with many desperate refugees and migrants turning to smugglers to help them make risky trips, according to the report.

Continued political instability and wars, poor socioeconomic conditions, and the impact of climate change, according to the UNHCR, may lead to increased displacement and unsafe onward migrations. UNHCR is seeking USD 163.5 million to aid and safeguard thousands of refugees and others on risky voyages to Europe through the Central and Western Mediterranean Seas and the Atlantic, as part of an enhanced protection and solutions plan.

The UNHCR is seeking donations to assist give viable alternatives to these perilous voyages and prevent individuals from becoming victims of human traffickers, according to the organization. Increased humanitarian aid, support, and solutions for persons in need of international protection and survivors of grave human rights violations are part of the strategy.

The Appeal includes 25 nations across four regions, all of which are linked by the same land and sea routes that migrants, asylum seekers, and refugees utilize. Countries of origin, departure, initial asylum, transit, and destination are among them. At the same time, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is encouraging States to commit to increased humanitarian, development, and peace-building efforts in order to address protection and solution concerns.

UNHCR is also urging states in the region – both in Africa and Europe – to strengthen legal frameworks and operational capacities at land, sea, and urban borders, as well as to provide credible alternatives to dangerous journeys through inclusion, and youth programming, and local community-based development.

States must guarantee unrestricted humanitarian access to individuals on the move or stranded en route, detained at sea, or confined in detention facilities, as well as decide if they require international protection, according to the study. In the absence of such action, refugees, asylum seekers, internally displaced persons, and others will continue to travel perilous distances in quest of safety and protection.

In the absence of adequate seasonal or longer-term legal avenues for safe and orderly travel, other individuals, including migrants, will move on in search of a better life, expecting to find jobs or educational possibilities elsewhere, according to the report. -KUNA 

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