High Commissioner for Refugees Guterres and Special Envoy Jolie warn of escalating crisis in the Mediterranean

UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres and Special Envoy Angelina Jolie visited the naval rescue headquarters in Malta yesterday, on a weekend in which new boat sinkings were being reported off Egypt and Libya claiming more innocent lives. Ms. Jolie and Mr. Guterres met three survivors of one of the tragedies, who had been rescued by a commercial vessel and brought to Malta by the Maltese authorities.

In the Maltese capital Valletta, Ms. Jolie also visited Syrian refugee families who survived a similar devastating boat tragedy last October. They included a couple from Damascus whose three small children perished during the crossing, and a doctor from Aleppo whose wife and three year-old daughter drowned. Half of those arriving in Europe by boat are refugees from Syria and Eritrea.

Mr. Guterres and Ms. Jolie thanked the naval authorities for their part in successful rescue operations that have saved many lives. Amidst concerns about the sustainability of the Italian Mare Nostrum operation, they also called for increased efforts by European nations to contribute to rescue efforts and reduce deaths at sea.

Over 2,500 people have drowned or gone missing attempting the crossing this year alone, including over 2,200 since the start of June.

Ms. Jolie said: "We all need to wake up to the scale of this crisis. There is a direct link between the conflicts in Syria and elsewhere and the rise in deaths at sea in the Mediterranean. We have to understand what drives people to take the fearful step of risking their children's lives on crowded, unsafe vessels; it is the overwhelming desire to find refuge. It is also part of a bigger problem - the soaring numbers of people displaced by conflicts around the world today, which now stands at over 51 million. Unless we address the root causes of these conflicts the numbers of refugees dying or unable to find protection will continue to rise."

130,000 people have arrived in Europe by sea so far this year, more than double the 60,000 recorded in 2013. Italy has received over 118,000 arrivals, most of them rescued at sea by Italy under its Navy operation Mare Nostrum.

As the EU and member states search for a better framework for responding to the worsening situation in the Mediterranean, UN High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres said: "We don't have many chances to get this right. Europe's response needs to be a truly collective effort, one that offers safer ways to find protection while maintaining a strong capacity to rescue people at sea. If it fails, many more lives will be lost at Europe's doorstep."

As part of a package based on solidarity and responsibility-sharing amongst states, UNHCR is calling for legal, safe alternatives for those fleeing conflict and persecution, so that they are not forced to attempt the crossing into Europe by sea, including resettlement, admission based on humanitarian needs, private sponsorship schemes, facilitated access to family reunification and the use of programmes such as student or employment visas.

For more information on this topic, please contact:

• In Geneva, Adrian Edwards on mobile +41 79 557 91 20
• In Rome, Carlotta Sami on mobile +39 33 56 79 47 46
• In Brussels, Ana White on mobile +32 471 08 33 64