The International Organization for Migration said Tuesday that more than 350,000 migrants have made the perilous journey across the Mediterranean this year, fleeing turmoil and poverty in the Mideast and Africa in search of a better life in Europe.
The intergovernmental agency said more than 234,000 of them landed on the shores of Greece, with another 114,000 migrants arriving in Italy, and much smaller numbers in Spain and Malta. About 2,600 have died, often drowning when rickety, overcrowded boats operated by human traffickers have sunk.
The latest figures came as Europe continued to cope with one of its biggest stream of migrants since World War II.
A spokesman for the United Nations refugee agency, Babar Baloch, told VOA, “All the countries have their own responsibility to deal with this crisis.” Several countries, however, are seeking to block the influx, or limit it.
(source: VOA)
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