The first quarter of 2026 has become one of the deadliest since 2014 for migrants crossing from Tunisia and Libya to Europe. The International Organization for Migration recorded 765 deaths. This data reignites the debate on the pull factor, a theory that attributes migration to the perception of opportunities at the destination, without considering the real risks of the crossing.
Maritime surveillance: satellites and drones against human trafficking 🛰️
Current technology allows tracking precarious vessels with synthetic aperture satellites and long-range drones. Systems like Frontex use predictive analysis to identify departure routes from the Libyan coast. However, effectiveness is hampered by a lack of rescue boats and the political priority of deterrence. Algorithms detect patterns, but cannot stop the desperation that fills those rubber dinghies every week.
The app that doesn't warn you that you're going to drown 📱
Meanwhile, on social media, influencers proliferate who sell the European dream as a low-cost tourist package. Nobody posts the tutorial on how to survive an overcrowded boat without drinking water. If there were an app with crossing reviews, it would surely have one star and the comment: The pool is very cold and the sharks won't let you sleep. Ironies of a market that is not listed on the stock exchange.