6 onwards),3 the number of migrants intercepted at sea during the same period increased significantly, according to the Greek coastguards, from 102 in the first semester of 2012 to 3,280 in the second semester.4 According to the agency, in 2012, a total of 3,307 interceptions were recorded within the scope of Operation Poseidon at the sea border. In 2013, this figure rose to 10,427 interceptions.5 The figures provided by the Greek authorities appear to disregard the increasing number of accidents at sea.6 Between September 2012 and the beginning of May 2014, at least 18 shipwrecks, 191 deaths and 33 disappearances were recorded.7 A large majority of the victims were Syrian and Afghan refugees fleeing conflict, explaining also the large presence of women and children in the boats. The number and recurrence of these tragedies raise the issue of whether border control operations adequately address the imperative of saving people in danger.They also bring into question the legality of these operations with regard to international obligations towards people seeking international protection. In violation of the right to asylum, the priority placed on sealing borders has led to migrants being pushed out of European waters even before a detailed examination is carried out regarding whether they are entitled to remain in Europe or have the right to some form of international protection. 3 Frontex General Report 2012. 4 “Greek islands faced with fresh wave of illegal migrants”, Ekathimerini, 7 January 2013; Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons (2013), “Migration and asylum: mounting tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean,” Rapporteur: Ms Tineke Strik. 5 Email from Frontex to the delegation dated 05/03/2014. 6 See Appendix 1, List of Shipwrecks for the years 2012-early 2014. 7 This data was collected from press articles and the summary in the report “Pushed back. Systematic human right violations against refugees in the Aegean sea and at the GreekTurkish land border” Pro Asyl, 2013, p. 33. The chronology was updated up to early May 2014. In the absence of official data, it does not represent all shipwrecks in the Aegean Sea. The numbers of deaths and disappearances, in particular, remain uncertain. The list of documented shipwrecks from September 2012 to beginning of May 2014 can be found in the Appendix to this report.