OVER 3,000 REFUGEES HAVE DIED IN MEDITERRANEAN: IOM

Geneva, 1 Muharram 1437/14 October 2015 (MINA) – New figures released Tuesday revealed that at least 3,103 refugees, including 264 in the waters between Greece and Turkey, had died crossing the Mediterranean Sea so far this year.

Meanwhile, nearly 600,000 refugees arrived in Europe so far this year, Anadolu Agency quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

“More than 593,000 migrants, including refugees, seeking asylum have travelled to Europe so far in 2015,” International Organization for Migration (IOM) spokesman Joel Millman said in a press conference in Geneva.

IOM statistics indicate that the vast majority of 3,103 recorded fatalities – 2,814 – died crossing from North Africa to southern Europe, primarily Italy.

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Some 593,432 people – more than double last year’s figure – reached Europe via the Mediterranean, including 453,912 people landing in Greece and 136,408 in Italy, the IOM said.

The largest national group comes from Syria, embroiled in a civil war. Having crossed the Mediterranean Sea this year, some 277,899 Syrian refugees arrived in Greece while 7,072 others arrived in Italy. (T/P010/R03)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)