Mediterranean migration, deaths decrease in early 2018
21,981 migrants and refugees entered Europe by sea via the Mediterranean sea in the first 17 weeks of 2018, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
Approximately 43 percent went to Italy, 37 percent to Greece and 20 percent to Spain.
44,625 arrivals were recorded in the region during the same period in 2017 and over 200,000 in 2016. The figures reveal a substantial drop in the number of migrants crossing the Mediterranean. This year’s arrivals are currently less than half of 2017 and about 10 percent of 2016’s arrivals at this point in the year.
The report also stated that 606 people have been recorded as dying during the crossing this year, most of them after departing Libya.
A further 4,964 migrants have been returned to Libyan shores by the coast guard.
According to an IOM press release, 8,067 irregular migrants entered Greece between January 1 and the end of April, an average of just over 67 persons per day. Approximately 4,400 men, women and children were recorded entering Spain irregularly by sea during the same period, slightly exceeding last year’s January-April total. However, the report also notes an alarming increase in the number of drowning on the Spain route, 217 through 29 April, close to the total number of 224 who died on the route in 2017.
A further 9,406 migrants entered Italy during this period, including 3,171 during April, less than one quarter the number in April 2017.
TMP – 11/05/20118
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