Overview

• Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has suspended its Mediterranean rescue missions, citing Italian laws that hinder effective operations.
• The Geo Barents vessel, used by MSF since 2021, has rescued over 12,600 people but faced significant sanctions and operational restrictions from Italian authorities.
• New Italian policies mandate rescue vessels to return to port after a single rescue, even if they have the capacity to save more lives, and often direct them to distant northern ports.
• The Italian government, under Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, has intensified measures against NGO rescue ships, claiming they encourage migration, a claim disputed by experts.
• MSF has pledged to evaluate new operational models and remains committed to addressing the dangers of the Central Mediterranean, where over 31,000 people have died or gone missing since 2014.