The European Union has launched the EU naval operation against human smugglers and traffickers in the Mediterranean Sea. The operation has been named as EU NAVFOR Med. The main objective of the operation is to identify, capture and dispose of vessels and enabling assets used or suspected of being used by migrant smugglers or traffickers. The first phase of the naval operation was officially launched by EU foreign ministers meeting in Luxembourg.

• The first phase of the operation EU NAVFOR Med is mainly focusing on surveillance and assessment of human smuggling and trafficking networks in the Southern Central Mediterranean.
• The second phase of the operation provides for the search and, if necessary, seizure of suspicious vessels.
• A third phase would allow the disposal of vessels and related assets, preferably before use, and to apprehend traffickers and smugglers.

The council has clearly said that, the operation EU NAVFOR Med will not target the migrants but it will target those who are making money on their lives and too often on their deaths. It also wants to dismantle the business model of the traffickers by destroying their boats.

Tidbits

• The operation was launched in backdrop of death of 800 migrants in April 2015 when their rickety boat sank in the Mediterranean Sea.
• In 2015, about one lakh migrants have entered Europe most of them landing in Italy, Greece and Malta.