More than 2,000 migrants have died
in the Mediterranean already this year while trying to reach the
safety of European shores, the International Organization for
Migration (IMO) said Tuesday.
That is considerably more than the 1,607 people who died
during during the same period last year on boats heading for
Europe, while for 2014 in total, 3,279 migrants died, the
organization said.
The vast majority of migrants head for Italy's southernmost
shores, which are close to Libya, the point of departure for
many of those fleeing violence, famine and war in their
homelands.
Most of the victims so far this year died in the crossing
between North Africa and Italy at the hands of human-smugglers,
the IOM said.
"As in 2014, the overwhelming majority died in the Channel
of Sicily on the central Mediterranean route connecting Libya
and Italy, where unseaworthy vessels used by smugglers and
traffickers significantly increase the likelihood of tragedies
occurring," said the organization's report.
It added that its analysis of the statistics suggest that
route is "far more dangerous than other routes".
Some 1,930 migrants died to date this year trying to reach
Italy compared with 60 deaths among those trying to reach
Greece, said the report.
Yet the numbers of migrants heading for the two countries
was not very different - about 97,000 bound for Italy compared
with 90,500 trying to reach Greece.
According to the IOM, the most recent deaths that tipped
the total number of victims over 2,000 occurred last week "when
a total of 19 people lost their lives in the Channel of Sicily".
It added that the remains of 14 of the migrants were
brought to the Sicilian port of Messina on July 29 by the Irish
Navy Ship Le Niamh.
They were part of a larger group of 456 people rescued at
sea, said the organization.
It added that in interviews with the IOM, survivors said
the drinking water on board the boat they were travelling in was
entirely used to cool down an overheated engine.
As a result, 14 migrants died of heat exhaustion and
thirst, they said.
"It is unacceptable that in the 21st century, people
fleeing from conflict, persecutions, misery and land degradation
must endure such terrible experiences in their home countries,
not to mention en route, and then die on Europe's doorstep,"
said IOM Director General William Lacy Swing.
The organization praised "the extraordinary efforts of
maritime forces in the Mediterranean, who continue to save
migrants at sea on a daily basis".
Enhancement of the Triton operation has been important in
saving lives, with more vessels patrolling in international
waters, it added.
Operation Triton is a border security operation carried out
by Frontex, the European Union's border security agency.
About 188,000 migrants have been rescued in the
Mediterranean so far this year, said the IOM.
It added that it expected that figure to exceed 200,000
"very soon".
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