Tusindvis af flygtninge har forsøgt hver måned at krydse Middelhavet til Europa, og sat livet på spil på usikre både blandt andet [[Trawler|fisketrawlere]].<ref>The Guardian http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/24/libyas-people-smugglers-how-will-they-catch-us-theyll-soon-move-on {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906080151/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/apr/24/libyas-people-smugglers-how-will-they-catch-us-theyll-soon-move-on |date= 6. september 2015 }} {{en sprog}}</ref> Mange af dem flygter fra krigshærgede lande eller fattige hjemlande og søger et bedre liv i EU.<ref name="Boatsform Libya">{{cite news |last1=Scammell |first1=Rosie |title=Mediterranean migrant crisis: number of arrivals in Italy in 2015 passes 50,000 |url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jun/07/mediterranean-migrant-arrivals-italy-passes-50000 |access-date=14. august 2015 |work=The Guardian |date=7. juni 2015 |archive-date=15. august 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150815114523/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jun/07/mediterranean-migrant-arrivals-italy-passes-50000 |url-status=live }} {{en sprog}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/11549216/The-EU-migrant-crisis-explained-in-90-seconds.html |title=Video: The EU migrant crisis explained in 90 seconds – Telegraph |date=22. april 2015 |work=Telegraph.co.uk |access-date=28. august 2015 |location=London |first=Joe |last=Daunt |archive-date=25. august 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150825032141/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/11549216/The-EU-migrant-crisis-explained-in-90-seconds.html |url-status=live }} {{en sprog}}</ref> Italien, og især, den sydlige ø [[Lampedusa]], modtager et stort antal afrikanere og folk fra mellemøsten, der blandt andet transporteres af flygtninge smuglere, der opererer fra den ukontrollerede kyst af det uroplagede Libyen.<ref name="Boatsform Libya" /><ref name=MappingBBC>{{cite news |title=Mapping Mediterranean migration |url=http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-24521614 |access-date=14. august 2015 |publisher=BBC |date=15. september 2014 |archive-date=13. september 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150913045928/http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-24521614 |url-status=live }} {{en sprog}}</ref>
Samfund Migration