Unsafe mixed migration by sea
IMO has called for greater focus to be placed on addressing unsafe migration by sea through more safe and regular migration pathways, so that fewer lives are lost due to large numbers of people setting out to cross the sea in overcrowded and unseaworthy vessels.
In order to address the safety of life at sea and search and rescue issues arising from unsafe migration by sea, IMO has been working with its partner organizations in the UN system as well as other international bodies to develop and update guidance for shipmasters and Governments. An information sharing platform has been established.
IMO urges concerted action by the international community to tackle unsafe, mixed migration by sea, in the Mediterranean and other sea areas and has been actively addressing the issue at its own Committee meetings as well as through joint meetings on the matter with UN partners and other relevant international organizations.
The IMO Secretariat has been participating in the Inter-Agency Group on Protection of Refugees and Migrants moving by Sea, led by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), set up to exchange information, experience and good practices concerning mixed migration by sea, search and rescue (SAR) activities and safe disembarkation of rescued persons.
Guidance on Rescue at Sea
Rescue at Sea: A guide to principles and practice in the context of refugees and migrants movements has been prepared jointly by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). The guide is available in English, French and Spanish, with Arabic, Chinese and Russian to follow soon. The guides can be downloaded below:
The guide is intended for Masters, ship owners, Government authorities, insurance companies, and other interested parties involved in rescue-at-sea situations. It provides guidance on relevant legal provisions, on practical procedures to ensure the prompt disembarkation of rescued persons, and on measures to meet their specific needs, particularly in the case of refugees and asylum-seekers.
Additional guidelines on the treatment of persons rescued at sea have been adopted by IMO (Resolutions MSC.167(78), 2004).
The Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) adopted a resolution at its 106th session (November 2022) on Recommended cooperation to ensure the safety of life at sea, the rescue of persons in distress at sea and the safe disembarkation of survivors. The resolution (Resolution MSC.528(106)) is intended to emphasize the importance of effective and timely involvement of Governments in cases of rescue of migrants at sea by merchant ships.
Global SAR Plan
The Global SAR Plan can be found on the IMO Global Integrated Shipping Information system (GISIS) system (registration required). The Global SAR Plan module contains information on the availability of Search and Rescue (SAR) Services, based on information provided by IMO Member States.
Migration statistics
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), nearly 2.0 million migrants have arrived in Europe since 2016 (as at early February 2026). Their figures show that in the same period, more than 32,000 have died or are missing.
In 2025, IOM recorded the most common nationalities of migrants to Europe as Bangladesh, Egypt and Afghanistan.
See IOM's Migration Flow to Europe statistics dashboard here.
Additionally, the Missing Migrants Project of IOM estimates that the Central Mediterranean is the deadliest known migration route in the world, with more than 33,424 deaths and disappearances recorded since 2014. Globally, IOM has registered of 80,302 missing migrants since 2014. More information here.
Legal framework covering migrant smuggling
The Protocol against the Smuggling of Migrants by Land, Sea and Air is an annex to the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime.
The organized, international crime, needs to be addressed, with collective action by all concerned to detain, arrest and prosecute people smugglers.
IMO can play its part but the ultimate solution lies in collaboration among several other bodies and UN agencies, such as the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the United Nations Refugee Agency, the International Organization for Migration, INTERPOL, the African Union, the European Union and European Commission and the Economic Commissions for Africa and for Europe.