IOM: 203 immigrants died in Mediterranean since start of 2019

Refugees are seen after being rescued from the Mediterranean Sea on 15 June 2017 [Marcus Drinkwater/Anadolu Agency]

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) announced that 203 migrants had died in the Mediterranean since the start of the year, the Anadolu Agency reported yesterday.

In a statement, the IOM said that 4,883 migrants had arrived in Europe by sea between 1 and 20 January.

Some 3,429 arrived in Spain, 1,166 are currently in Greece and the others are distributed among Malta and Greek Cyprus.

The statement also said that 203 migrants died at sea over the same period while travelling to Europe.

READ: ‘Nightmarish detention for migrants and asylum seekers in Libya,’ reports HRW

On Saturday, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees said that 170 illegal migrants died or are missing as a result of two accidents in the Mediterranean last week.

The UN High Commissioner of Refugees said that 2,262 illegal migrants died in the Mediterranean while trying to reach Europe in 2018.

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