A total of 67,122 migrants have arrived in Europe by sea in 2018, while as many as 1,549 attempts to cross the Mediterranean have resulted in deaths, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said in a press release on Tuesday.
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 28th August, 2018) A total of 67,122 migrants have arrived in Europe by sea in 2018, while as many as 1,549 attempts to cross the Mediterranean have resulted in deaths, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said in a press release on Tuesday.
"IOM, the UN Migration Agency, reports that 67,122 migrants and refugees entered Europe by sea in 2018 through 26 August ... This compares with 123,205 (172,362 for the entire year) arrivals across the region through the same period last year, and 272,612 at this point in 2016," the press release said.
Spain has become the most popular destination among migrants, accounting for nearly 28,000 of sea arrivals, Italy ranked second with over 19,700 arrivals, while Greece became third with over 18,500 arrivals.
"IOM's Missing Migrants Project (MMP) has documented the deaths of 1,549 people on the Mediterranean in 2018," the press release read further.
Since 2015, Europe has been experiencing its worst migration crisis in recent history, struggling to accommodate hundreds of thousands of refugees and migrants fleeing hostilities in middle Eastern and North African countries.
