Almost 3,000 migrants have died
in the Mediterranean this year, the International Organization
for Migration (IOM) said Tuesday.
The exact figure is 2,987, including the most recent 100
deaths off the Libyan coast since Sunday.
Migrants and refugees attempt the often-perilous sea
passage in search of a better future in Europe.
With reports surfacing from Libya this morning of nearly
100 migrant deaths since Sunday, IOM's Missing Migrants Project
calculates that 2,987 migrants this year have perished in the
Mediterranean, or almost three quarters of the 4,093 migrants
who have died worldwide so far in 2015.
"The Mediterranean remains the deadliest route for
migrants on our planet," said IOM Director General William Lacy
Swing in Geneva.
"This loss of life is unnecessary, completely avoidable
and absolutely unacceptable."
These latest figures are based on unconfirmed reports of
bodies being found near Libya's coast.
At least two sightings - of 85 corpses in one area, and
ten in another - have been reported, according to IOM's team in
Libya on Tuesday, citing the Libyan Red Crescent.
Meanwhile, as cold weather begins to become a factor on
the Mediterranean routes, IOM Rome reports that another 2,000
migrants have arrived this week in Italy.
Flavio Di Giacomo of IOM Rome reported that some 1,830
migrants were rescued from six vessels found adrift in the
Mediterranean off the coast of Libya, citing Italian Coast Guard
sources.
He said that the survivors were brought ashore in
operations to save those in four stricken boats and two rubber
dinghies on Monday.
Another 190 new arrivals reportedly are on their way to
Italy this morning.
IOM's 2015 tally to date for Mediterranean arrivals now
stands at 557,899 - virtually double 2014's full-year total of
219,000 migrants.
In Greece, IOM reports that since last Friday (2/10) over
20,000 new arrivals have come ashore from boats leaving Turkey,
bringing the total on this route to 421,341 so far in 2015.
IOM Turkey reports the Turkish Coast Guard has counted 134
deaths of migrants in its waters this year.
The Turkish military said 72 migrants died in Turkish
waters in September alone, with another four deaths reported
through October 5.
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