Paris, France | | Friday 4/10/2015 – 17:00 GMT

„Two international aid groups said Friday they would run a „life-saving“ operation in the Mediterranean this summer, as thousands of desperate migrants and refugees try to reach Europe.

„The life-saving operation will run from May to October, when thousands of people are expected to risk their lives attempting to reach safe haven in Europe,“ Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) and Migrant Offshore Aid Station said in a statement.

The aid groups also blasted European governments for failing to prevent migrant deaths at sea.

Last year, in what the organisations said was „the deadliest year on record for people crossing the Mediterranean“, 3,400 people died trying to reach Europe.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees has described the Mediterranean as „the world’s deadliest route of all“ for migrants.

„This year the death toll is predicted to be even higher, as even less assistance is available to boats in distress,“ MSF and MOAS said.

An Italian navy rescue operation, named Mare Nostrum, was discontinued late last year due to a lack of funds and no rescue operation replaced it.

Instead, the EU borders agency Frontex launched patrol operation Triton, whose focus on surveillance was criticised by rights groups.

„Europe has turned its back on people fleeing some of the worst humanitarian crises of our time,“ MSF’s general director Arjan Hehenkamp said.

Many of those trying to reach Europe are Syrians fleeing a four-year conflict that has killed more than 210,000 people and forced half the population to flee their homes.

[…] „The decision to close doors and build fences means that men, women and children are forced to risk their lives and take a desperate journey across the sea,“ Hehenkamp added. […] “

via Aid workers to rescue Mediterranean seaborne migrants – World | ReliefWeb.