EUNAVFOR MED operation Sophia: fighting smugglers in the Central Mediterranean Sea
With Spring’s arrival, EUNAVFOR MED operation Sophia’s 
Task Force assets are continuing their patrolling activity in the Central Mediterranean sea that thus far, starting from the launch of second phase in international waters, has granted a significant deterrence effect towards smugglers and traffickers.
Since October the 7th, in fact, they have limited their activities inside the Libyan Territorial Waters being conscious that entering the high seas would have resulted in a certain arrest by operation Sophia’s assets.
To date, 98 vessels have been removed from illegal organization availability and 58 suspect smugglers and traffickers have been arrested by the Italian authorities following EUNAVFOR MED activities. Among them, the 14 vessels and 5 arrested that are linked to the 10 rescue operations conducted by various naval and air assets part of operation Sophia during last week. Almost 1500 lives saved with a total figure of 11509 migrants rescued since mission launch on 22 June 2015.
EUNAVFOR MED operation Sophia key to success, in these 8 months, has certainly been the wide net of cooperation with main actors currently dealing with migration and with various European Agencies towards the common objective of stopping the human traffickers and smugglers in the Central Mediterranean Sea and avoid the further loss of life at sea.