![Eighteen people on a small wooden boat near the Italian island of Lampedusa, in the Mediterranean Sea, in 2021 [File: Juan Medina/Reuters]](https://titapost.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Mediterranean-to-Europe.webp)
According to the UN refugee agency, over 2,500 people have lost their lives or gone missing while attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea to reach Europe this year. At the same time, approximately 186,000 individuals have successfully arrived in European countries during this period.
Ruven Menikdiwela, the director of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) office in New York, addressed the UN Security Council on Thursday, revealing that out of the 186,000 people who crossed the Mediterranean, around 83 percent (approximately 130,000 individuals) arrived in Italy. Other countries that received migrants and refugees who crossed the Mediterranean include Greece, Spain, Cyprus, and Malta.
The number of fatalities and missing persons during these perilous sea crossings has significantly increased compared to the same period last year, as reported to the Security Council.
Menikdiwela stated, “By September 24, over 2,500 people were accounted for as dead or missing in 2023 alone.” This figure represents a substantial rise from the 1,680 deaths or missing persons recorded during the same period in 2022.
The UNHCR official expressed concern that there seems to be no end in sight to the loss of lives at sea and on land routes to Europe, which are equally hazardous.
Menikdiwela highlighted the dangers faced by migrants and refugees during their journey from sub-Saharan African countries to departure points on the Tunisian and Libyan coasts, stating that it remains one of the world’s most perilous routes.
“Lives are also lost on land, away from public attention,” Menikdiwela added, emphasizing the risks of death and gross human rights violations faced by migrants and refugees at every step of their journey.
The UNHCR figures align with those presented by Par Liljert, the director of the International Office for Migration (IOM). Liljert informed the Security Council that from January to September 2023, over 187,000 individuals crossed the Mediterranean in search of safety and a better future. Tragically, during the same period, IOM recorded 2,778 deaths, with 2,093 of them occurring along the treacherous central Mediterranean route.
Despite the clear dangers, there has been a significant increase in arrivals to Greece along this route, exceeding 300 percent compared to last year. Meanwhile, the number of arrivals in Spain has remained steady, primarily through the Atlantic route to the Canary Islands.
Italy has also witnessed a notable increase in arrivals, with 130,000 individuals reaching its shores so far this year, compared to approximately 70,000 in 2022.
The situation in the Mediterranean continues to be a humanitarian crisis, with lives lost and individuals facing grave risks in their pursuit of safety and a better future. Efforts to address the root causes of migration and provide safer pathways for those seeking refuge remain crucial in order to prevent further tragedies in the region.