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IOM notes sharp decline in maritime migrant arrivals into Europe this year

Xinhua, January 24, 2017 Adjust font size:

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported Tuesday that 3,335 migrants and refugees have reached Europe by sea since the start of the year 2017, down from over 47,000 through the first 25 days of last year.

According to figures, 60 percent of this year's arrivals landed in Italy, with the rest reaching Greek shores.

While entries by sea into Europe are significantly lower this year, the number of people who have lost their lives attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea is already substantially higher.

According to IOM, 230 fatalities have been recorded in the Mediterranean since the start of the year, 50 more than were documented over the same period in 2016.

Most of the deaths this year (205) have been reported on the central Mediterranean route linking North Africa with Italy.

A further 25 drownings have been recorded on western and eastern Mediterranean passages.

A record 5,079 migrants and refugees died last year while crossing the Mediterranean Sea, up from 3,771 fatalities in 2015. Endit