Every year thousands of refugees and migrants fleeing war, poverty and persecution attempt the dangerous sea-crossing from Africa’s northern shores to Europe. In recent years, the EU has introduced a number of measures in an effort to curb the migrant flow, including a bilateral agreement with Libya to intercept and forcibly return people to the lawless country. Some EU states have even brought criminal cases against the rescuers, accusing them of helping to facilitate people smuggling and blocking vessels in Italian ports, making it even more difficult for search and rescue NGOs to carry out their activities. 

In 2020, as the virus pandemic swept the world, migrant crossings were largely forgotten. Covid 19 effectively shut down SAR efforts in the Central Mediterranean and for most of the year, "the world's deadliest migration route," was a black hole. 

After a long hiatus in late August 2020 the Spanish NGO, Proactiva Open Arms, embarked on its first search and rescue operation since the virus pandemic began.