In the Central Mediterranean, more than 5 thousand people reached the shores of Lampedusa in the second half of February. 66 more migrants were rescued by the Italian Cost Guards and disembarked in the port of Pozzallo. A terrible shipwreck off the southeastern Italian cost of Calabria caused the death of at least 62 migrants. In the meantime, Italy continues to hinder Search and Rescue operations carried out by NGOs. 132 people were rescued off the coast of Libya and safely brought to Italy by the rescue NGOs, despite the assignment of distant disembarkation ports.

Illegal pushbacks continue off the coast of Greece. 45 people in distress were rescued off the coast of Lesvos to be pushed back once disembarked. Two migrants were found dead off the coast of the Greek island of Kos after the boat they were traveling in sank.

Following the release of IOM figures on missing migrants, the Canary route was described as one of the world’s deadliest. On February 26, Alarm Phone reported the illegal pullback of 47 people, as a cargo ship picked them up along the Canary route to bring them back to Boujdour in Morocco, thereby violating their right to seek asylum in Europe.

Following the devastating earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria on February 6, more than 16,800 Syrian refugees who had been living in Turkey have decided to cross the border into Syria. It is unclear what rules apply in case they decide to head back to Turkey again.

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