The International Rescue Committee (IRC) reported on 28 January that its field teams in Lampedusa are providing emergency medical care, trauma counselling and fresh-clothing kits to survivors of multiple shipwrecks that occurred during last week’s Cyclone Harry. Italian authorities believe up to 380 people—many from Guinea, Sudan and Syria—may have perished when eight small boats sailed from Tunisia and Libya into storm-force seas.
IRC Italy director Giovanna Di Maggio said the tragedy “must be a wake-up call” for the EU to expand safe-and-legal routes and to coordinate proactive search-and-rescue across the central Mediterranean. She criticised recent Italian government measures that fine NGO rescue ships and force them to disembark survivors at distant ports, arguing that the rules waste golden hours when dozens of boats are in distress.
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![After cyclone shipwrecks, IRC urges EU action while assisting migrants rescued to Lampedusa]()
The incident comes as winter weather makes crossings even more treacherous yet smugglers continue to advertise discounted fares before the EU’s new Entry/Exit System starts biometric checks later this year. According to Italy’s interior ministry, 4,120 people have already arrived by sea in January—double the same period in 2025—suggesting that deterrence policies are failing to stem departures.
For global-mobility and assignment managers, the humanitarian crisis is not abstract: corporate security providers report increased secondary-migration pressure around Italian logistics hubs, with ad-hoc police checks on staff shuttles and freight convoys. Companies with CSR programmes focused on refugee employment may find fresh opportunities to support integration schemes in Sicily and Apulia as survivors gain temporary protection.
IRC is calling for the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum to include a permanent state-led rescue mission and an automatic relocation mechanism to relieve pressure on Italy’s reception system, which is currently housing 138,000 asylum seekers—30 % above capacity.
IRC Italy director Giovanna Di Maggio said the tragedy “must be a wake-up call” for the EU to expand safe-and-legal routes and to coordinate proactive search-and-rescue across the central Mediterranean. She criticised recent Italian government measures that fine NGO rescue ships and force them to disembark survivors at distant ports, arguing that the rules waste golden hours when dozens of boats are in distress.
For organisations or individuals who must quickly secure the right paperwork to travel to or work in Italy—be that humanitarian staff rotating into hotspots, corporate teams overseeing duty-of-care, or family members arranging visits—VisaHQ simplifies the visa process with step-by-step online applications, expert review and real-time status tracking. Discover how their tailored solutions can help at https://www.visahq.com/italy/
The incident comes as winter weather makes crossings even more treacherous yet smugglers continue to advertise discounted fares before the EU’s new Entry/Exit System starts biometric checks later this year. According to Italy’s interior ministry, 4,120 people have already arrived by sea in January—double the same period in 2025—suggesting that deterrence policies are failing to stem departures.
For global-mobility and assignment managers, the humanitarian crisis is not abstract: corporate security providers report increased secondary-migration pressure around Italian logistics hubs, with ad-hoc police checks on staff shuttles and freight convoys. Companies with CSR programmes focused on refugee employment may find fresh opportunities to support integration schemes in Sicily and Apulia as survivors gain temporary protection.
IRC is calling for the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum to include a permanent state-led rescue mission and an automatic relocation mechanism to relieve pressure on Italy’s reception system, which is currently housing 138,000 asylum seekers—30 % above capacity.
