Three UN agencies, the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), have launched a new database aimed at collecting information on the human smugglers and on the ships used for boat refugees, as well as about the massive flows of refugees at sea.

"It is anticipated that the platform will assist in improved monitoring of incidents associated with unsafe and irregular mixed migration by sea, on a global basis, with a view to better analysis of trends," the three organizations inform in a press release.