Over 600 Migrants Die in Mediterranean Crossings in Early 2026, UN Agency Declares Deadliest Start in Over a Decade
The International Organization for Migration (IOM), a United Nations agency, announced on Monday that at least 606 migrants have been reported dead or missing in the Mediterranean Sea since the beginning of 2026. This grim statistic represents the deadliest start to a year since the IOM began recording such data in 2014, highlighting a severe humanitarian crisis.
Recent Tragedies Off Greece and Italy Highlight Ongoing Perils
Among the casualties, at least 30 individuals are feared dead or missing after their boat capsized in severe weather conditions off the coast of Greece on Saturday. Authorities managed to rescue 20 people, including four minors, and recovered the bodies of three men and one woman. The vessel had departed from Tobruk, Libya, on 19 February and overturned approximately 20 nautical miles south of Kali Limenes, Crete.
In Italy, the bodies of 15 people, believed to be among hundreds who drowned during violent storms in January while attempting the treacherous crossing from North Africa, have washed up on beaches in Calabria and Sicily over the past week. Students discovered the body of a man wearing an orange life jacket near Tropea, a popular seaside town in Calabria, with a woman's body found in the same area. Additional bodies have been located on the small Sicilian island of Pantelleria.
Criticism of Migration Policies and Government Responses
Bishops in Calabria and Sicily condemned current migration policies on Sunday, arguing that these drownings are not isolated incidents but the result of inhumane political choices. They emphasized, "We must stop measuring success by counting only those who arrive, while not considering those who die."
This criticism follows a recent move by Italy's far-right government, led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, which approved a bill authorising naval blockades to prevent boat arrivals during periods of exceptional pressure. This legislation is part of a broader crackdown on irregular immigration, including measures against charity rescue ships, harsher jail terms for human smugglers, and schemes aimed at swift repatriation.
The bill was introduced after the European Parliament approved changes to EU asylum rules, responding to pressure from member states like Italy for a stricter approach. Meloni stated that her government would deploy every available tool to guarantee border security.
Historical Context and Regional Cooperation Calls
According to figures from Italy's interior ministry, 66,296 people arrived by boat on Italian coastlines in 2025, slightly fewer than the previous year and about half the figure for 2023, when Italy enacted and reinforced deals with Libya and Tunisia to reduce arrivals. The IOM has called for increased search and rescue efforts in the central Mediterranean to save lives and ensure safe disembarkation, as well as for stronger regional cooperation to address this ongoing crisis.
