Rome/Lampedusa 2 October - IOM, the International Organization for Migration, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund, are today in Lampedusa to commemorate the eleventh National Day of Remembrance and Reception, established to remember the 368 migrants and refugees who died in the tragic shipwreck off the coast of Lampedusa on October 3, 2013.

Over the last 11 years, more than 30,000 victims have been recorded from 2014 to the present, with almost 24,000 along the Central Mediterranean route, confirming it as one of the most dangerous routes globally. In 2024 alone, more than 1,229 people have already lost their lives along this route, many of them minors, including infants, children, and adolescents traveling alone, without any accompanying adults.

Many of the people undertaking these journeys are fleeing conflicts, extreme poverty, discrimination, and violence experienced in transit or destination countries, as well as the devastating impact of climate change. They attempt the crossing from Tunisia aboard iron dinghies, or on fishing boats from Libya, vessels that are always unsuitable for navigation and extremely dangerous.

These tragedies are avoidable, and the need to provide a meaningful response can no longer be delayed. Saving human lives is not an option; it is a legal obligation and a moral imperative.

We call for further efforts at the European level to strengthen cooperation in coordinated search and rescue operations in support of the valuable life-saving work of the Italian Coast Guard, in a spirit of shared responsibility and solidarity among first-entry countries. We also urge States to expand safe and regular pathways, such as humanitarian, university, and labor corridors, emergency evacuations, and resettlement programs for those seeking protection and asylum, for the most vulnerable people, or for those wishing to reunite with their families, to reduce reliance on dangerous sea crossings at the mercy of unscrupulous smugglers.

IOM, UNHCR, and UNICEF continue to be present on the ground with activities in key landing and transit points, with the aim of saving lives and ensuring fundamental human rights. The organizations also renew their commitment to collaborate with national and local authorities to seek sustainable solutions to the humanitarian crisis in the Mediterranean.

Contacts:

IOM: Flavio Di Giacomo, fdigiacomo@iom.int Te. +393470898996

UNHCR: Filippo Ungaro, ungaro@unhcr.org, +393356794746

UNICEF: Press@unicef.it