IOM: Migrant arrivals in Europe by sea reached 36,556 in 2016

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said nearly 37,000 migrants and refugees have arrived in Italy and Greece by sea since the beginning of 2016.

That figure is roughly 10 times the arrivals reported on the same date in 2015, the IOM noted.

For Greece and the Western Balkans, the increase is well over 20 times 2015’s total on this date.

IOM reported that deaths of migrants and refugees in the Mediterranean already make this the deadliest January on record. Deaths in the past 24 hours bring to at least 113 the total number of fatalities recorded, which is more than the past two Januaries combined, when 94 deaths were recorded – 12 in January 2014 and 82 last year.

Through the year’s first three weeks, just 950 migrants have been rescued in Central Mediterranean waters, a considerable drop off from 2015, when 3,528 migrants were rescued in the area. Additionally, some 280 migrants are due to arrive this Friday afternoon in Pozzallo.

By contrast, the Eastern Mediterranean route continues to be busy, with 35,949 arrivals recorded through Wednesday (20/1) or roughly 1,800 per day.