What are the origins of this fun-filled festive custom?
The stretch of the Mediterranean Sea between North Africa and Italy, as well as Malta, is one of the main migratory routes to Europe.
Around 60,000 people were reported in 2023 to have arrived through the Eastern Mediterranean route.
In 2023, the use of powerful speedboats to transport migrants was a frequent occurrence via the Western route.
Tunisians, Guineans, and Ivorians were the top three nationalities reported in 2023. Tunisia ranked first as a country of departure, followed by Libya.
Arrivals of vessels from Lebanon, Libya, and Syria were registered in greater numbers. Syrians, Afghans, and Palestinians, who left Palestine before October 7, 2023, were the most often reported nationalities.
The Eastern Mediterranean route encompasses movements towards Cyprus, the Greek sea borders, and towards the Greek and Bulgarian land borders with Turkey.
The Western Mediterranean route leads from northwestern Africa to the south of Spain. Moroccans and Algerians are the largest migrant groups detected.
The year 2023 witnessed an increase of arrivals in the Central Mediterranean route (well over 50,000 more than in 2022), which totaled almost 158,000 people.
In fact, the EU reached a migration agreement with Tunisia in 2023. In exchange for over €1 billion (about US$1.1 billion) in financial aid, the country would prevent migrants from crossing the Mediterranean for Europe.
In April 2024, the EU passed a migration policy deal that addresses the system's shortcomings. Front-line countries such as Greece, Italy, and Spain have long complained that they're unfairly burdened by the Dublin Regulation, which requires migrants to apply for asylum in the first country of arrival.
In 2023, Tunisia intercepted more than 75,000 people on the move while they were attempting to enter Europe via the Mediterranean Sea.
Instead, the focus has been on supporting coast guards from Tunisia and Libya in their efforts to intercept migrants and refugees trying to reach European shores.
Due to the massive influx of migrants to the island, its facilities are consistently crowded beyond maximum capacity. To ease the burden, thousands of people are sent to Sicily or mainland Italy for processing, where they're often reported to receive poor treatment.
Migrants are first processed by authorities at Lampedusa's immigrant reception center. There, they are fingerprinted and photographed, given health screenings and medical care, and informed about their immigration options.
The most popular entry to the continent is Italy’s southernmost point, the island of Lampedusa, which has earned the nickname of "The Gateway to Europe."
Today, there are three main maritime routes to Europe from Africa and the Middle East: the Eastern, the Central, and the Western routes.
Limiting safe migration routes and increasing border management doesn't prevent human mobility, as many people are willing to die for the chance of a better life.
In addition, they face increasing discrimination and community tension, particularly if they're perceived to be competing with vulnerable people for services and jobs.
Refugees first arriving in countries like Turkey, Tunisia, and Morocco, before taking the journey by boat, face challenges accessing basic services. Their rights aren't protected, and they face difficulties building a new future for themselves.
While the vast majority of migrants coming to Europe arrive legally, the continent has seen a steady increase in irregular immigration, in which migrants arrive without legal permission.
In addition to war and conflict, disasters and climate change are increasingly a driver for human mobility. This is because some areas become unlivable and traditional livelihoods are no longer sustainable.
Every individual has the right to seek asylum and get individual review of their asylum claims, in line with the Refugee Convention and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. The Refugee Convention explicitly recognizes that refugees may be compelled to enter a country of asylum irregularly to seek protection.
Recent migration surges have often been driven by the disruptions caused by conflict. In 2015, the main cause was fighting and persecution in Afghanistan and Syria.
The amount of people risking their lives by crossing the Mediterranean is a testimony to desperation. They know that there's a chance they might not survive, and that, even if they do, there's a risk of being sent back.
But with an untenable situation in their home countries, such as conflict and poverty, they see no other options.
Instead, it plays into the hands of smugglers and human traffickers, who exploit the desperation of people. It also makes it more dangerous, as people take longer routes.
Many of those who remain in Lampedusa also struggle to fulfill their basic needs, and migrants often take to the streets in search of food, water, and a place to sleep.
The pact now requires other EU states to share some of those responsibilities. It also toughens border screening procedures and facilitates more rapid deportation.
Nonetheless, the EU has been criticized for not supporting protection initiatives, including search and rescue missions to save lives when people crossing are in danger.
Pictured is a wreckage on the shores of Crotone, Italy, in 2023. The boat was bringing migrants from Iran, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. It broke apart after it crashed against rocks in rough weather and sank, resulting in the deaths of 59 people. The remaining 81 onboard survived.
Sources: (DW) (BBC) (Frontex) (Norwegian Refugee Council) (Council on Foreign Relations) (Think Global Health)
The world's deadliest migration route isn't by land: it's through the Mediterranean Sea. People fleeing violence, repression, or poverty seek to enter the European Union (EU) by making the treacherous journey across the 970,000-square-mile body of water that stretches from Morocco to Turkey. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), nearly 2,500 people died or went missing as they attempted to cross the stretch in 2023.
On December 11, a 10-year-old girl remarkably survived three days adrift at sea after the migrant boat she was traveling on capsized off southern Italy. Alone on a drifting vessel, she was found by rescuers from the non-governmental organization operating the Trotamar III after they heard her cries for help near Lampedusa, one of the Pelagie Islands in the Mediterranean.
The rescue took place in the early hours of Wednesday while they were responding to another incident, and she was safely brought to shore. As per Italian media, the girl explained to rescuers that the boat sank during a storm. Using an air pocket and a life vest, she managed to keep herself afloat, rescuers reported. Preliminary information suggests she is from Sierra Leone.
Click on to learn more about the dangerous migration routes to Europe.
Ten-year-old girl rescued after three days at sea following migrant boat disaster
She is believed to be the sole survivor out of the 45 passengers on board
LIFESTYLE Refugee crisis
The world's deadliest migration route isn't by land: it's through the Mediterranean Sea. People fleeing violence, repression, or poverty seek to enter the European Union (EU) by making the treacherous journey across the 970,000-square-mile body of water that stretches from Morocco to Turkey. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), nearly 2,500 people died or went missing as they attempted to cross the stretch in 2023.
On December 11, a 10-year-old girl remarkably survived three days adrift at sea after the migrant boat she was traveling on capsized off southern Italy. Alone on a drifting vessel, she was found by rescuers from the non-governmental organization operating the Trotamar III after they heard her cries for help near Lampedusa, one of the Pelagie Islands in the Mediterranean.
The rescue took place in the early hours of Wednesday while they were responding to another incident, and she was safely brought to shore. As per Italian media, the girl explained to rescuers that the boat sank during a storm. Using an air pocket and a life vest, she managed to keep herself afloat, rescuers reported. Preliminary information suggests she is from Sierra Leone.
Click on to learn more about the dangerous migration routes to Europe.