Switzerland – IOM reports that almost 4,000 migrants and refugees have died or gone missing so far in 2016 (up to 30/10). The 3,940 deaths have already surpassed the total from the whole of 2015 when over 3,700 died or went missing trying to cross the Mediterranean, heading for Europe.

IOM also reports that 333,384 migrants and refugees entered Europe by sea in 2016 through 30 October, arriving mostly in Greece and Italy. Some 169,706 people have arrived in Greece and 158,205 in Italy during 2016.

According to most up-to-date Italian MOI figures (as of 26 October), 158,205 migrants arrived by sea to Italy this year. An increase of about 13 percent compared to last year, during the same period. Over 8,950 migrants have been rescued in the Channel of Sicily since 24 October.

This total of 333,384 is well below the number of arrivals at this point in 2015, by which 728,926 migrants and refugees had made the journey between 1 January and 31 October.

In Greece, 64 migrant arrivals by sea were registered on 29 and 30 October. According to data collected by IOM staff on the Greek islands, it is being estimated that the migrants that arrived by sea to Greece were approximately 42 percent were men, 21 percent women and 37 percent children, so far in 2016.

For the latest Mediterranean Update infographic: 

http://migration.iom.int/docs/Mediterranean_Update_1_November_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:

Flavio Di Giacomo at IOM Italy, Tel: +39 347 089 8996, Email: fdigiacomo@iom.int 

IOM Greece: Daniel Esdras, Tel: +30 210 9912174, Email:  iomathens@iom.int or Kelly Namia, Tel: +30 210 9919040, +30 210 9912174, Email: knamia@iom.int 

Julia Black at IOM GMDAC, Tel: +49 30 278 778 27, Email: jblack@iom.int

Mazen Aboulhosn at IOM Turkey, Tel: +9031245-51202, Email: aboulhosn@iom.int

Itayi Viriri at IOM Geneva, Tel: +41.79.285-4366, Email: iviriri@iom.int

IOM Libya: Othman Belbeisi, Tel +216 29 600389, Email: obelbeisi@iom.int  or Ashraf Hassan, Tel: +216297 94707, Email: ashassan@iom.int

Christine Beshay, IOM Egypt. Tel: + 20 2 273 651 40/1 Email: cbeshay@iom.int

For information or interview requests in French:

Florence Kim, OIM Genève, Tel: +41 79 103 03 42, Email: fkim@iom.int

Flavio Di Giacomo, OIM Italy, Tel: +39 347 089 8996, Email: fdigiacomo@iom.int