Refugees

The mass migration of persons and the use of the sea routes in the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas to seek refuge in Europe has not stopped and new areas such as in the seas off Myanmar have been seen. In many cases, the refugees are turning to smugglers who provide sea craft that are not suitable for crossing these seas, resulting in very unsafe conditions and the need for the refugees to be rescued at sea.

When called on to assist in rescuing these refugees at sea, INTERTANKO Members’ tankers respond. However, there is a need for a coordinated governments’ approach to addressing the problem ashore. INTERTANKO has been, and will continue to, encourage governments to take the appropriate action to mitigate the need for rescuing refugees at sea and assist members in having those rescued, disembarked safety ashore as soon as possible to minimise risks to ships and ensure the health of those rescued.