Mediterranean Migrant Arrivals Reach 27,834 in 2019
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The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reports that 27,834 migrants and refugees have entered Europe by sea through 1 May, roughly a 35 per cent decrease from the 42,274 arriving during the same period last year. Arrivals this year to Spain and Greece combine to account for 82 per cent of the region’s irregular sea landings, with the balance arriving in much smaller proportions to Italy, Malta and Cyprus.
Arrivals to Greece have surpassed in 2019 those at this time last year. Arrivals to Spain are lower, with Spain’s totals having fallen considerably since the surge of January and early February.
Deaths recorded on the three main Mediterranean Sea routes through 177 days of 2019 are at 597 individuals – or about half the 1,189 deaths confirmed during the same period in 2018.
ITALY
Official Italian Ministry of Interior figures cite 2,544 migrants who have arrived by sea to Italy in 2019. That total, through almost six months, is less than the total recorded for all all but two single months between January 2016 and and June 2018, as well as during all months during the years 2014-2015.
SPAIN
Sea arrivals to Spain, through 26 June have reached 9,478 men, women and children. That’s an average of almost 54 persons per day, compare to last year, through June 30, of just over 83 people per day. While monthly arrivals to Spain are lower this year over all , fatalities on the Western Mediterranean route remain high – with 201 deaths reported through nearly six months of this year.
GREECE
Since 25 June, the Hellenic Coast Guard (HCG) was involved in at least nine incidents requiring search and rescue operations off the islands of Lesvos, Samothraki, Farmakonisi, Symi, Chios, Leros and Kos. The HCG rescued a total of 182 migrants and transferred them to the respective ports.
Those arrivals, plus another 208 arrivals IOM recorded during the three days ending 26 June, bring to 13,383 the total number of sea arrivals to Greece this year.
