Urgent Call for Frontex to Prevent Refugee Deaths in the Mediterranean

Human Rights Watch (HRW) issued a strong appeal on Monday for the EU’s border and coast guard agency, Frontex, to utilize its aerial surveillance capabilities to prevent refugee deaths in the Mediterranean Sea. This call to action follows a meeting between HRW and Frontex’s executive director, Hans Leijtens, where an EU-wide petition with nearly 18,000 signatures was presented, urging the agency to take decisive steps in rescuing vessels in distress.

HRW emphasized that Frontex should share information from its aircraft with NGO vessels operating in the Mediterranean, enhancing the chances of timely rescues. The organization also called for Frontex to issue more frequent emergency alerts to nearby vessels and to provide continuous monitoring of refugee boats.

According to the International Organization for Migration, over the past decade, at least 31,700 people have died or gone missing in the Mediterranean. Judith Sunderland, associate director for Europe and Central Asia at HRW, stressed the need for urgent action: “The shocking death toll in the Mediterranean requires concerted action. As an actor at sea, Frontex has a responsibility under international law to use its resources to facilitate rescues that end in the safe disembarkation of rescued individuals.”

A key aspect of HRW’s appeal is the adoption of a “broad interpretation of distress,” which would allow Frontex to adopt a precautionary approach in its alert system. Late last year, several UN agencies called for a broader understanding of distress, which would take into account the foreseeable dangers faced by unseaworthy boats at sea and the positive obligations related to the right to life.

The European Commission has proposed a significant expansion of Frontex, aiming to triple the number of border guards to 30,000 and increase deportations through a mandate review in 2026. Since its establishment in 2004, Frontex has seen its size, role, and budget grow dramatically, with an annual budget projected to reach €922 million ($1 billion) in 2024, up from €142 million in 2015.

HRW insists that any changes to Frontex’s mandate must enhance human rights standards, transparency, and accountability, highlighting how a “broad interpretation of distress” could save lives at sea. The agency has previously faced criticism for sharing aerial intelligence with Libyan authorities, which has been linked to the abuse and indefinite detention of migrants in Libya—part of an EU strategy to strengthen the coastal patrols of Libya and Tunisia, common departure points for refugees.

Sunderland concluded, “People across the EU are sending a message that no one should be left to die at sea. As warmer weather may see more attempts to cross the Mediterranean, Frontex should act now to ensure it does everything it can to prevent avoidable tragedies.”