International Organization for Migration (IOM) reports that 302,149 migrants and refugees entered Europe by sea in 2016 through 25 September, arriving mostly in Greece and Italy, ReliefWeb reported on Tuesday. 

By comparison through first nine months of 2015, a total of 508,347 arrivals were recorded crossing the Mediterranean – some 206,000 more than in 2016 thus far.

IOM Rome this week reports that from Friday through Sunday 1,407 migrants and refugees were rescued in the Channel of Sicily.

According to the latest data from Italy’s Ministry of Interior, there have been 131,974 arrivals by sea in Italy this year. This is 2 percent more than last year’s figure of 129,375 during the same period in 2015.

While arrivals to Italy in 2016 largely have tracked 2015’s monthly arrival patterns, those to Greece have diverged sharply – with many fewer migrants and refugees coming from Turkey this year compared to last.

IOM Athens this week reports just 51 arrivals in the Greek islands since Friday, bringing 2016’s total to 166,342 – or fewer than 20,000 since late March. Prior to that, some 50,000 migrants and refugees were arriving in Greece by sea from Turkey monthly.

Nonetheless, while total arrival numbers are down, fatalities among Mediterranean migrants and refugees now stand through this past weekend at 3,501 – exceeding by almost 600 the total recorded during the same period last year. 

According to IOM’s Missing Migrants Project, Mediterranean fatalities for last year stood at 2,926 through 25 September 2015.

Source: MENA