IOM says over 2,000 migrants dead in Mediterranean this year

(ANSA) - Rome, August 4 - More than 2,000 migrants have died so far this year in the Mediterranean while trying to reach European shores, the International Organization for Migration (IMO) said Tuesday. In a report, the IOM said that during the same period last year, 1,607 people died while heading for Europe, while for 2014 in total, 3,279 migrants died. 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.