UNHCR, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) have released a revised rescue guide aimed at helping governments, shipmasters and maritime operators respond to refugees and migrants in distress at sea. 

The updated edition of Rescue at Sea: A guide to principles and practice in the context of refugee and migrant movements comes as fatal shipwrecks continue to underline the need for stronger international coordination to prevent further loss of life. 

The guide sets out the humanitarian and legal duties of all parties involved in maritime rescue, including the obligation to rescue people in distress without discrimination and to ensure they are disembarked in a place of safety. 

Its release also comes in the year marking the 75th anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Convention, with the three organisations saying the duty to save lives at sea remains one of the clearest moral and legal obligations under international law. 

“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,” said Elizabeth Tan, Director of UNHCR’s Division of International Protection and Solutions. 

She added that the guide reflects the shared commitment of UNHCR, IMO, the shipping sector, humanitarian agencies and NGOs to support states in their primary responsibility to save lives at sea. 

“Nobody risks their life at sea, or that of their family, unless desperate to find safety and stability in the absence of safer pathways,” Tan said. 

“Yet, these appalling wrecks cannot be accepted as inevitable. They are preventable,” she added. 

According to UNHCR data, authorities and partners, the Mediterranean remained one of the world’s deadliest sea routes in 2025, with 1,953 people reported dead or missing. 

The South and South-East Asia route also recorded 892 deaths or missing persons, out of more than 6,500 Rohingya refugees who attempted dangerous sea crossings during the year, making it the route with the highest mortality rate worldwide for refugee and migrant sea journeys. 

Meanwhile, the Western Africa Atlantic route claimed 424 lives last year, showing that the danger extends well beyond the Mediterranean. 

Building on the previous edition published in 2015, the revised guide offers more detailed guidance on legal standards and practical procedures for the prompt rescue and safe disembarkation of people in distress. 

It also stresses that disembarkation should take place in locations where rescued people would not face serious risks, including the risk of refoulement. 

The guide is available in six languages, namely Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish, and is intended as a practical global resource for shipmasters, ship owners, state authorities, insurance companies and other actors involved in rescue operations. 

IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said the continued loss of life at sea remained an “ongoing human tragedy”, while also recognising the role of coast guards, navies, search and rescue agencies and merchant vessels. 

“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,” he said. 

“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,” Dominguez added.

ICS Secretary General Thomas A. Kazakos said 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,” he said. 

“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,” Kazakos added.