A report by Alarm Phone highlights the persistence of migrant crossings from Libya’s coastline to Europe, despite an increasingly violent environment and tighter controls in the central Mediterranean.
Migrant boats continue to depart from Libya towards Europe despite the high risks involved, Alarm Phone—a hotline dedicated to assisting vessels in distress in the Mediterranean—has warned.
In an analytical report covering the period from 1 July to 31 December 2025, the organisation said it received 428 distress calls from boats operating in the central Mediterranean during the second half of the year. This marks a significant increase compared with the 334 calls recorded in the first six months, bringing the annual total to 762 reported vessels.
According to Alarm Phone, the rise comes amid a paradoxical situation: while the dangers associated with the crossing continue to intensify, departure attempts have persisted—and in some cases increased. The report documents attacks targeting migrant boats and, in certain instances, civilian rescue vessels, allegedly carried out by Libyan forces and armed groups operating in the area.
The organisation also refers to pushback practices at sea, particularly within Malta’s search and rescue zone. These cases have reportedly been documented by other monitoring bodies, including the Malta Migration Archive, fuelling criticism over compliance with international maritime law and the obligation to protect people in distress at sea.
Alarm Phone notes that the vast majority of vessels contacting the hotline departed from Libyan shores, confirming the country’s central role as the main point of departure on irregular migration routes to Europe. This reality underscores the limited effectiveness of deterrence and control policies, which have failed to halt departures while shifting risks to ever more dangerous routes.
For the organisation, the persistence of these crossings reflects the absence of safe and legal alternatives for migrants and refugees, as well as the depth of the political, economic and security crises that continue to drive thousands of people to attempt the journey—often at the cost of their lives.
MK/Sf/lb/as/APA