Tensions in European countries over migrants continue to rise as more than 70 people remain missing following yet another attempt to cross the Mediterranean, with individual countries dealing with the migrant crisis in their own way.
Recent attempt to cross the Mediterranean ends in tragedy
In the latest incident, occurring on the evening of Sunday 5 April, over 70 people may have died after a boat carrying migrants capsized in the central Mediterranean, the NGOs Sea Watch and Mediterranea Saving Humans reported. 32 people were rescued from the boat, which had left Libya on Saturday afternoon and was carrying 105 people. Two bodies were found, meanwhile the rest are missing.
The NGO Mediterranea Saving Humans wrote in a series of posts on social media platform X the accident occurred in a search and rescue zone managed by the Libyan authorities. It also described the incident as “a consequence of the policies of European governments, which refuse to open legal and safe entry channels.”
The UN migration agency IOM claims at least 683 migrants have died or gone missing since the start of 2026. Meanwhile, Italian government figures show that 6,175 people arrived on Italian soil during the same period.
The survivors were rescued by a couple of commercial vessels, bringing them to the Italian island of Lampedusa. The central Mediterranean island of Lampedusa, north of Libya and south of mainland Italy, is notorious as a major arrival point for migrants travelling from North Africa to Europe.
In accordance with international maritime law, vessels must come to the aid of anyone at sea who is in danger of drowning. Although the Italian government, as part of its domestic efforts to tackle migration, is taking a number of measures to restrict migrants, civilian rescue vessels are currently being blocked and are not permitted to leave Italian ports, despite their life-saving work. Among them is the rescue vessel Sea-Watch 5, which was detained by the Italian authorities for 20 days.
The Sea-Watch organisation claims that the Italian government is deliberately restricting the operations of rescue vessels to prevent the influx of migrants into the country.
Another incident occurred on 1 April, when 19 people died whilst attempting to cross the Mediterranean; five people remained in critical condition at the time, whilst 58 survivors were rescued by the coastguard.
Belgium tightens rules on illegal migrants
On 3 April, the federal government revived one of its migration proposals, authorising the police to enter private homes to detain migrants who have ignored deportation orders. The Council of Ministers passed the bill at its second reading, referring it to the Council of State for legal review ahead of a parliamentary vote expected in late spring.
In accordance with the bill, police officers may escort officials from the Immigration Office (DVZ) into a home if three conditions are met: the person is subject to a final deportation order, refuses to co-operate with the removal process, and is considered to be a threat to public order or national security. As before, any entry requires prior authorisation from an investigating judge, with the action to be carried out between 05:00 a.m. and 09:00 p.m.
Justice Minister Annelies Verlinden claims that the reform will make Belgium’s “return policy” credible, meanwhile Migration Minister Anneleen Van Bossuyt argues it closes a loophole that allows “criminal illegal immigrants to hide behind their front doors.”
Consequently, migrants with expired work permits who fail to comply with a removal order may face arrest at their doorstep and immediate transfer to a closed detention centre. HR departments must step up verification of visa validity, facilitate the timely submission of renewal applications, and prepare contingency plans for relatives who may be affected by unannounced law enforcement operations.
Human rights organisations and several opposition parties warned that this measure risks infringing upon the inviolability of the home, which is protected by Article 15 of the Belgian Constitution and Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights. A similar proposal failed in 2018 because the French-speaking liberals withdrew their support. Meanwhile, the current coalition insists that the new safeguards now strike the right balance between law enforcement and fundamental rights.
First recorded deaths during Channel crossing in 2026
French authorities have reported that two migrants died on Wednesday while attempting to cross the English Channel from northern France to the UK, near Gravelines. French officials described the incident as the first recorded fatalities related to the crossing of the English Channel in 2026. The tragedy came as Britain and France last week extended the migration agreement by two months, but remained divided over interception tactics.
Rescue services have assisted eight people who were in distress whilst attempting to board a boat, according to the French Maritime Prefecture for the English Channel and the North Sea. Around 30 people gathered early in the morning near Gravelines. Local reports noted that many were standing in cold water up to their shoulders or slipping off the dinghy as it took on more people.
Police sources confirmed that one of the dead was a man from Sudan and the other from Afghanistan. A woman was treated at a hospital in Dunkirk for non-life-threatening injuries, and five other people were detained. A Turkish national who was rescued following the fatal incident was arrested on suspicion of organising the crossing attempt, according to French police sources. On the same day, French authorities also carried out several other rescue operations in the English Channel, saving a further 111 people.
An AFP tally based on official French and British sources recorded at least 29 deaths on the Channel route in 2025. That year, French data shows that nearly 50,000 people attempted to cross to France in 795 boats. UK authorities reported the arrival of 41,472 small boats – the second-highest annual figure after 45,774 in 2022.
In the meantime, according to figures from the UK Home Office published on 1 April, there were 4,441 arrivals in the first three months of 2026 – 33% fewer than the 6,642 recorded at the start of 2025 and 18% lower than the 5,435 recorded at the beginning of 2024. The figure for 2026 is 17% higher than the level at the start of 2023 (3,793), but 2% lower than the level at the start of 2022 (4,548).
Tough measures as deportation rhetoric intensifies
The European Union intends to replace its existing asylum system with the New Migration Pact in June, tightening rejections, speeding up deportations and strengthening biometric monitoring of migrants.
Rob Roos, a former Member of the European Parliament for the Netherlands and former Vice-President of the ECR, posted a video showing Muslims in Rotterdam praying:
“Yes, the right to protest matters. But so does respect, especially on one of the most important Christian days. Claiming public space on Easter Sunday crosses a line. Freedom should never come at the expense of basic respect,” he stated.
As a result, the European Union intends to replace its existing asylum system with the New Migration Pact in June, tightening rejections, speeding up deportations and strengthening biometric monitoring of migrants.
Tommy Robinson, a British activist, posted a video on social media platform X showing a French woman being assaulted, stating:
“French girl attacked and humiliated by a group of invaders’ daughters, they taunt: “on Allah,” “on the Quran,” ‘Wallah.’ Get these unwanted and unneeded vermin out of our countries.”
In many countries, with increasingly negative perceptions of migrants, nationally oriented parties are gaining greater support from the public. Hard-line rhetoric stems from the view that migrants are unable to assimilate and integrate into European culture, refusing to obey local traditions; in addition, media reports and social media posts highlight crimes and acts of hooliganism in which people of foreign origin are implicated.
