More Than 300,000 Migrants, Refugees Have Crossed the Med in 2016, IOM Says

GENEVA – The International Organization for Migration on Tuesday raised the total number of migrants and refugees to have crossed the Mediterranean so far this year to over 300,000.

The organization said that there had been 339,783 arrivals to Europe as of Nov. 6.

The majority of migrant and refugees accessed European territory via the shores of Greece and Italy, with 170,160 arriving to Greece and 163,989 to Italy.

The figures are lower than at the same point in 2015, when 728,926 people made the crossing.

Not all those who attempted the often perilous journey to Europe by sea reached their destination – an estimated record of 4,233 people died in the process.

2016 has already seen 735 deaths more than in 2015, when 3,498 lost their lives.

According to information supplied by the Italian Ministry of the Interior, the 163,989 migrants who arrived to Italy via sea routes represented a 15 percent increase year on year.

Meanwhile, there were 145 arrivals to the Greek islands of Lesbos, Kos, Leros, Chios and Megisti between Nov. 5-6, according to the IOM.


More than 300,000 migrants, refugees have crossed the Med in 2016 ...