10 years since the largest loss of life in the Mediterranean, UNHCR urges decisive action to save lives

Geneva – 17 April 2025

On 18 April 2015, Europe witnessed one of the largest tragedies at sea when over 1,000 people died or went missing in the Mediterranean as their boat capsized between Libya and Lampedusa. Since then, 34,000 people are reported to have died or gone missing while trying to reach Europe by sea. The actual number is likely to be much higher.

“At a time of year when many people gather with loved ones, let us remember those lost at sea and redouble our efforts so that others are not compelled to make the perilous crossings” said Philippe Leclerc, UNHCR Bureau Director for Europe. “Without alternatives, refugees and migrants will continue to resort to dangerous journeys. Prompt search and rescue, more legal pathways to Europe, but also helping people find safety and life-saving assistance closer to home – where most refugees stay – saves lives.”

In commemorating those who lost their lives in the 2015 tragedy, UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, calls for a robust rescue-at-sea system, credible legal avenues to reach Europe, but also comprehensive and decisive action to address the root causes that can drive people to this tragic end.

A decade on, some gains have been made in responding to distress at sea, to receive asylum-seekers and address their needs in Europe with responsibility sharing and solidarity – principles that are also now codified in the EU Pact. But more is needed to prevent this senseless loss of life. The world was painfully reminded of what remains at stake on 14 June 2023, when up to 650 people lost their lives as a fishing trawler capsized off Pylos, Greece – a tragedy that renewed calls for safe alternative pathways, urgent action, and accountability.

Persisting and new conflicts continue to force refugees to seek safety away from home. Two years since the war in Sudan, over 11,000 Sudanese have made the dangerous journey to Europe.  And now cuts in global aid affecting Sudan and neighbouring countries hosting refugees threaten to aggravate the situation, forcing people to move further for their survival and safety.

Solutions are achievable, but we need comprehensive, targeted and coordinated action along the routes that refugees and migrants take.

We cannot become desensitized to the tragedies unfolding at sea. What once shocked us now barely registers as news. As boats sink and lives are lost, the world watches in silence, slowly slipping into dangerous indifference. This growing apathy threatens not only the dignity of those who perish but also our own humanity.

While sea arrivals to Europe decreased by 24 per cent in 2024 to 200,000 individuals – the numbers of dead and missing have remained high. Last year, UNHCR estimates that at least 3,500 lost their lives or went missing on the different maritime routes to Spain, Italy, Malta, Greece and Cyprus – with the actual figures likely to be much higher.

For more information, please contact: 

• On the latest sea arrivals to Europe, visit UNHCR data portal
• On UNHCR’s work, visit https://www.unhcr.org/about-unhcr
• On how you can help, visit: https://www.unhcr.org/get-involved

Media contacts:

• In Italy: Filippo Ungaro, [email protected] , +393356794746
• In Spain: Paula Barrachina, [email protected]; +34675513544
• In Greece: Stella Nanou, [email protected], +30 6944586037
• In Malta: Joseph Meli, [email protected]; +356999912354
• In Geneva: Eleni Biza, [email protected], +41783378082