UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, the International Maritime Organization (IMO), and the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) today released a revised Rescue Guide, a tool to help all partners uphold the humanitarian and legal duties to rescue refugees and migrants in distress at sea and bring them to safety.
The revised edition of Rescue at Sea: A guide to principles and practice in the context of refugee and migrant movements comes as tragic shipwrecks continue to highlight the urgent need for stronger collective action to prevent further loss of life among people fleeing danger or seeking better prospects.
In the year marking the 75th anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Convention, the revised Guide underlines the continued relevance and life-saving impact of practical protection action, such as rescuing people in distress at sea, including refugees and migrants, and ensuring safe disembarkation in line with international law. The seas must be treated as a humanitarian space, and the duty to rescue people in distress at sea must be upheld without discrimination, the partners agreed.
“Nobody risks their life at sea, or that of their family, unless desperate to find safety and stability in the absence of safer pathways. Yet, these appalling wrecks cannot be accepted as inevitable. They are preventable,” said Elizabeth Tan, Director of UNHCR’s Division of International Protection and Solutions. “The revised Rescue Guide is a practical tool to help uphold one of the clearest moral and legal duties at sea: to rescue refugees and migrants in distress and bring them to safety. It reflects the shared commitment of UNHCR, IMO and the shipping sector, as well as humanitarian agencies and NGOs, to support States in their primary responsibility to save lives at sea.”
Maritime routes continue to exact a devastating human toll. In 2025, according to data from UNHCR, authorities and partners, the Mediterranean remained one of the world’s deadliest corridors, with 1,953 people reported dead or missing. The South and South-East Asia route saw 892 people recorded dead or missing, out of more than 6,500 Rohingya refugees who attempted perilous sea crossings that year, making this the route with the highest mortality rate worldwide for refugee and migrant sea journeys. Danger extends also around Africa, with the Western Africa Atlantic route claiming 424 lives last year.
Building on the 2015 edition, the newly revised Rescue Guide provides more detailed guidance on applicable legal standards and practical procedures to ensure the prompt rescue and disembarkation of people in distress at sea in locations where they would not be exposed to risks, including the risk of refoulement. Available in six languages (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish), the Rescue Guide serves as a global, practical resource for shipmasters, ship owners, State authorities, insurance companies, and all actors engaged in maritime rescue operations.
“There is an ongoing human tragedy of lives lost at sea during unsafe, dangerous journeys. We must recognize the tireless efforts of coast guards, navies, search and rescue agencies, and merchant vessels in rescuing individuals in distress at sea – preventing an even higher death toll. Established legal obligations must be translated into concrete action at sea. This revised Guide ensures clarity for Governments and provides practical steps for shipmasters and crews,” said Arsenio Dominguez, Secretary-General, IMO.
“The global shipping industry is often the first responder when people are in distress at sea. Ship masters and crews act with professionalism and humanity, frequently going beyond their commercial duties to save lives. This revised Guide provides practical clarity to support those efforts, helping ensure that rescues are conducted safely, predictably, and in line with international law, while reinforcing the shared responsibility across States and stakeholders to deliver timely disembarkation,” said Thomas A. Kazakos, ICS Secretary General.
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