Switzerland - IOM reports that 3,335 migrants and refugees entered Europe by sea in 2017, through 22 January. This compares with 47,090 through the first 25 days of January, 2016.

About 60 percent of the total arrived in Italy, the rest in Greece. Although several hundred migrants have attempted to enter Spanish territory through Spain’s enclaves in Africa, few sea arrivals have been recorded. But 24 migrants have died at sea trying to reach Spain.

For the entire Mediterranean, IOM’s Missing Migrants Project reports an estimated 230 deaths at sea so far this month, compared with 180 through the first 25 days of 2016.

Sea Arrivals in Italy and Greece 2014-2016

IOM’s Missing Migrants Project has tallied worldwide migrant deaths through January 23 this year at 259, compared with 323 at this time in 2016 (see chart below). Researcher Kate Dearden cautions that at this point in the year data is far from complete, as many regions report full-year timelines months after events occur.

So far in 2017, Missing Migrants has recorded no reports of deaths in North Africa, the Horn of Africa or Sub-Saharan Africa – compared with a total of 95 known fatalities in those three regions combined, between 1 and 24 January 2016.

At the same time, no deaths had been reported by this time last year in Southeast Asia. But this week IOM learned of the deaths of at least 10 Indonesian migrants off the coast of Malaysia – with the possibility that many more victims may be missing. Fatalities so far this year for Europe are consistent with last year’s numbers at this time, and behind those of the Americas.

Migrant Deaths in 2016-2017 (Source: Missing Migrants Project)

For the latest Mediterranean Update infographic: 
http://migration.iom.int/docs/MMP/170124_Mediterranean_Update.pdf
For latest arrivals and fatalities in the Mediterranean, please visit: http://migration.iom.int/europe
Learn more about the Missing Migrants Project at: http://missingmigrants.iom.int

For further information please contact:
Joel Millman at IOM Geneva, Tel: +41.79.103 8720, Email: jmillman@iom.int
Flavio Di Giacomo at IOM Italy, Tel: +39 347 089 8996, Email: fdigiacomo@iom.int 
Sabine Schneider at IOM Germany, Tel: +49 30 278 778 17 Email: sschneider@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: maboulhosn@iom.int
IOM Libya: Othman Belbeisi, Tel: +216 29 600389, Email: obelbeisi@iom.int or Ashraf Hassan, Tel: +216297 94707, Email: ashassan@iom.int
Hicham Hasnaoui at IOM Morocco, Tel: + 212 5 37 65 28 81, Email: hhasnaoui@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 Italie, Tel. +39 347 089 8996, Email: fdigiacomo@iom.int