Major migration routes in the Mediterranean (2015)

The Southern Neighbours of the ENP are facing a crisis situation. Many thousands of migrants have risked their lives this year, fleeing conflict and instability in Africa and the Middle East, in small, often decrepit vessels in an attempt to reach European territories. The number of fatalities has risen dramatically in a matter of months. More than 3 600 lives have been lost in the Mediterranean Sea in 2015. The majority of migrants head for Italy, prompting a crisis that the country’s navy, coast guard and beleaguered immigration facilities are struggling to handle. Libya has become a major crossing point for many journeys, with people traffickers exploiting the country’s power vacuum and increasing lawlessness.