Greece - IOM estimates that 134,905 migrants already have crossed the Mediterranean this year. Of these, 125,819 have reached the Greek islands. The remainder landed in Italy. Media reports indicate that arrivals to Spain in 2016 are fewer than 100.

Monthly arrivals in Greece have dipped slightly from the 67,415 recorded in January to 55,633 in February. Thus far in March, arrivals total just 2,771. IOM Athens reports that in the past 14 months since the start of 2015 the total number of sea-borne arrivals in Greece has reached 970,911. This suggests that the threshold of one million arrivals of migrants and refugees in Greece will be reached within the next two weeks.

IOM Athens reports that the Greek Asylum Service has announced that they received 1,171 asylum applications in January – 227 from Syrians, 66 from Iraqis, 52 from Yemenis and 43 from Eritreans – all nationalities fleeing places in the throes of violence and civil strife. Another 221 asylum applications were registered from Pakistan, 78 from Albania, 73 from Bangladesh and 55 from Georgia. 

Arrivals by sea and deaths in the Mediterranean

Data on deaths of migrants compiled by IOM GMDAC. All numbers are minimum estimates.

Arrivals estimates based on data from respective governments and IOM field offices.

Arrivals by sea and deaths in the Mediterranean 2015/2016

• No landings took place in Italy since our last report.
• IOM staff is deployed at the main landing points in Sicily (including Lampedusa), Calabria and Apulia and provides legal assistance to those arriving by sea, monitors the reception conditions and supports the authorities in the identification of vulnerable groups.
• Main Countries of Origin: Eritrea, Nigeria, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Gambia, Mali, Senegal, Bangladesh, Ghana.
• Main departure country: Libya (few departures from Egypt, Greece, and Turkey)

·         2,175 arrivals were registered in Greece on 2 March 2016. Numbers are not the actual daily arrivals, but the number of migrants who have officially been recorded by the Greek authorities after their arrival. This procedure may take a few days.
·         According to data collected by IOM staff on the Greek islands, out of the 62,193 who reached the Greek islands in January 2016, approximately 44 percent were male, 22 percent female and 34 percent children.
·         Main departure country: Turkey
·         Main landing points: the islands of Lesbos, Kos, Samos, Rhodes, Kalymnos, Megisti, Leros and Chios.
·         IOM staff is present in the islands of Crete, Samos, Kos and Lesvos, working closely with authorities to identify vulnerable migrants including unaccompanied minors, elderly migrants, migrants with medical needs and families with children. Vulnerable groups are referred to authorities in order to be provided with the necessary care.

 For the latest Mediterranean Update infographic please go to:
http://missingmigrants.iom.int/sites/default/files/Mediterranean_Update_4_March_2016.pdf

For latest arrivals and fatalities in the Mediterranean,please visit: http://migration.iom.int/europe 
Learn more about Missing Migrants Project at: http://missingmigrants.iom.int

For further information please contact: 
IOM Greece Daniel Esdras, Tel: +30 210 9912174, Email:  iomathens@iom.int
or Kelly Namia, Tel: +302109919040, +302109912174, Email: knamia@iom.int
In Italy: Flavio Di Giacomo, Tel: +39 347 089 8996, Email: fdigiacomo@iom.int
In FYRoM: Ivona Zakoska at IOM Skopje, Tel. +389 2 30 88 100, Ext. 133 Email: izakoska@iom.int
Or IOM Geneva, Leonard Doyle, Tel: +41-792857123, Email: ldoyle@iom.intor Joel Millman, Tel: + 41 79 103 87 20, Email: jmillman@iom.int