One week ago, 1,000 people died in the Mediterranean.
MigrationInternational
- Error detected
- The claim states 1,000 people died 'one week ago' (in a single week), but the data shows this is the cumulative figure for the entire year 2026 up to that point
The actual weekly death toll was significantly lower than claimed - approximately 180 deaths over a two-week period according to IOM reports
- Omissions
- The 1,000 figure represents the cumulative death toll since the beginning of 2026 (January-February period), not deaths occurring in a single week
- The IOM reported that approximately 180 people died or went missing over a two-week period in February 2026, in five separate shipwrecks
- The sources were published after the speech date (February 11, 2026), but contain data from periods before that date which the MEP could have referenced
- Sources
- PrimaryInternational Organization for Migration (IOM)Across the Mediterranean as a whole, at least 990 deaths have been recorded in 2026
- SecondaryLibya Observer (citing IOM)Around 1,000 deaths have been recorded in the Mediterranean Sea since the start of 2026; over the past two weeks alone, at least 180 people have died or gone missing in five separate shipwrecks
- SecondaryAl JazeeraAcross the Mediterranean as a whole, at least 990 deaths have been recorded in 2026