Geneva – IOM, the UN Migration Agency, reports that 116,692 migrants and refugees entered Europe by sea in 2017 through 6 August, with almost 83 per cent arriving in Italy and the remainder divided between Greece, Cyprus and Spain. This compares with 263,436 arrivals across the region through 6 August 2016.

IOM Rome reports that according to official figures of the Italian MOI, 96,438 migrants arrived in Italy by sea this year, which is slightly (3.3 per cent) fewer than last year during the same period, when 99,727 arrived, highlighting a trend that IOM has observed of slower traffic to Italy during mid-summer, and fewer deaths.

The Italian MOI also released an updated chart comparing the monthly arrivals by sea in Italy between 2017, 2016 and 2015.

According to data collected by IOM Regional Officers at the Greek islands, it is estimated that among migrants, who arrived by sea to Greece in 2016, there were approximately 42 per cent male, 21 per cent female and 37 per cent children. Their main country of departure was Turkey and their main landing points were the islands of Lesvos, Kos, Samos, Rhodes, Kalymnos, Megisti, Leros and Chios.

The total fatalities in the Mediterranean in 2017 have risen to 2,405. Although this figure trails the number of deaths (3,193) recorded at this time last year, it nonetheless marks the fourth consecutive year migrant deaths in the Mediterranean Sea have exceeded 2,350.

Worldwide, the IOM Missing Migrants Project (MMP) reports that there have been 3,420 fatalities in 2017 through 6 August (see chart below) with the Mediterranean region accounting for the largest proportion of deaths – over two-thirds of the global total.

Latest Mediterranean Update infographic: http://migration,iom,int/docs/MMP/170808_Mediterranean_Update,pdf
For latest arrivals and fatalities in the Mediterranean, please visit: http://migration,iom,int/europe
Learn more about the Missing Migrants Project at: http://missingmigrants,iom,int
For more information, please contact:
Joel Millman at IOM HQ, Tel: +41 79 103 8720, Email: jmillman@iom.int
Flavio Di Giacomo, IOM Italy, Tel: +39 347 089 8996, Email: fdigiacomo@iom.int
Kelly Namia, IOM Greece, Tel: +30 210 991 2174, Email: knamia@iom.int
Julia Black, IOM GMDAC, Tel: +49 30 278 778 27, Email: jblack@iom.int
Christine Petré, IOM Libya, Tel: +216 29 240 448, Email: chpetre@iom.int
Ana Dodevska, IOM Spain, Tel: +34 91 445 7116, Email: ADODEVSKA@iom.int