LAMPEDUSA, ITALY - JUNE 10: Refugees and migrants wait in a small wooden boat to be rescued by crewmembers from the Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS) Phoenix vessel on June 10, 2017 off Lampedusa, Italy. An estimated 230,000 refugees and migrants will arrive in Italy this year as numbers of refugees and migrants attempting the dangerous central Mediterranean crossing from Libya to Italy continues to rise since the same time last year. So far this year more than 58,000 people have arrived in Italy and 1,569 people have died attempting the crossing. Libya continues to be the primary departure point for refugees and migrants taking the central Mediterranean route to Sicily. In an attempt to slow the flow of migrants, Italy recently signed a deal with Libya, Chad and Niger outlining a plan to increase border controls and add new reception centers in the African nations, which are key transit points for migrants heading to Italy. MOAS is a Malta based NGO dedicated to providing professional search-and-rescue assistance to refugees and migrants in distress at sea. Since the start of the year MOAS have rescued and assisted more than 4000 people and are currently patrolling and running rescue operations in international waters off the coast of Libya. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)
Migrants wait to be rescued off the coast of Italy, June 10, 2026 [File: Chris McGrath/Getty Images]
Published On 14 Oct 2026

A Spanish charity has postponed its next migrant rescue mission in the Central Mediterranean until next year due to rising fuel costs, underscoring the humanitarian impact of rising energy prices.

Salvamento Maritimo Humanitario (Humanitarian Maritime Rescue, or SMH) said on Wednesday that the doubling of fuel prices forced it to shift its activities to waters around Valencia, southeastern Spain.

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The group, which operates a fishing vessel converted into a rescue ship, also launched a crowdfunding campaign to cover the extra costs.

The Central Mediterranean crossing from North Africa to Italy is one of the world’s most dangerous migration routes.

Many of those attempt the crossing on overcrowded, unsuitable boats from Libya’s coast, which has been a main transit point for migrants fleeing war and poverty in Africa and the Middle East.

A report released by the International Office for Migration said migrant sea crossings have dropped sharply since January this year.

The agency said about 60,000 migrants and refugees reached Europe by boat so far in 2026, down 39 percent from roughly 98,000 over the same period last year.

Despite the drop, at least 2,292 died or went missing attempting the crossing this year.

Spanish NGO Open Arms has said it scaled back its Central Mediterranean missions in recent years, also due to rising fuel costs as well as Italy’s policy of assigning rescue vessels ports in Northern Italy.

NGO ships from Spain typically sail for two to three days to reach their operating area, increasing costs and reducing time available for search-and-rescue work.

The Italian prime minister’s right-wing, anti-immigration government says humanitarian rescue attempts encourage migrants to make the crossing.