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EU leaders 'killing migrants by neglect' after cutting Mediterranean rescue missions
17 April 2016
"EU policymakers are guilty of "killing by neglect" by cutting rescue missions in the Mediterranean - potentially costing the lives of more than 1,500 refugees, according to a report.
The Italy-led search and rescue mission, Mare Nostrum, ended in October 2014 and was replaced by Triton, which deployed fewer ships and prioritised deterring migrants over rescue operations, the report says.
Charities and UN officials warned the move could have a disastrous impact and lead to far more deaths at sea.
Documents unearthed by British universities showed the European border force Frontex pushed ahead with the change despite an internal assessment warning that if it was not properly planned it "would likely result in a higher number of fatalities"."
See the article:
EU leaders 'killing migrants by neglect' after cutting Mediterranean rescue missions (The Independent, link)
See:
New evidence proves EU policymakers knew reduced search-and-rescue operation would cause mass migrant deaths (press release, pdf):
"A new investigation accuses EU policymakers of “killing by neglect” after cutting rescue missions in the Mediterranean in full knowledge of the lethal consequences of their actions. Meeting transcripts and documents unearthed in a report from Goldsmiths, University of London and the University of York show that the EU border agency Frontex’s own internal assessment of replacing Mare Nostrum with Triton predicted increased deaths at sea, but the policy was introduced anyway.
Researchers found that a previously unreported 2014 Frontex internal assessment on “tackling migrant flows” stated:
“It has to be stressed that the withdrawal of naval assets from the area, if not properly planned and announced well in advance, would likely result in a higher number of fatalities.”
The researchers from the ESRC-funded ˜Precarious Trajectories” project argue that because the decision to retreat from state-led search and rescue operations was taken in full knowledge of the risk, EU policy makers and agencies carry a strong degree of responsibility for mass deaths at sea...."
And:
Summary of report: Death by Rescue - The lethal effects of the EU's policies of non-assistance at sea (pdf)
The report will be launched on Monday 18 April at 6pm at The Mosaic Rooms, 226 Cromwell Road, SW5 0SW London. For details and to book a ticket click here.