Report: Decline in number of refugees crossing the Mediterranean

Some 11,000 migrants and refugees have crossed the Mediterranean Sea for the safety of Europe since the start of the year until 5 February, figured by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) revealed.

This is a significant drop from the 74,808 refugees and migrants who made the same journey in the first 36 days of 2016.

The organisation said in a report released yesterday that 255 refugees died over the same period,compared to 380 last year.

Some 1,596 migrants and refugees were saved making the perilous journey.