Spanish NGO postpones Mediterranean rescue mission until 2027

Spanish rescue charity Salvamento Marítimo Humanitario (SMH) has postponed its next Central Mediterranean mission until 2027 after fuel prices doubled, moving operations to waters near Valencia, Mallorca and Menorca and launching a crowdfunding appeal. The cost pressures also have led Spanish NGO Open Arms to scale back missions; Italy’s policy of assigning rescue ships ports in the north can add two to three days of travel, cutting time available for rescues. The route from North Africa to Europe remains one of the world’s deadliest, with at least 2,292 people reported dead or missing this year despite a sharp decline in crossings.