Geneva – IOM, the UN Migration Agency, reports that 4,216 migrants and refugees have entered Europe by sea through the first 16 days of 2019, an increase that nearly doubles the total (2,365) arriving during the same period last year. Over the past three days (13-16 January) IOM reports arrivals to Spain more than doubled from 1,609 to 3,367 individuals.

Through mid-month, irregular migrant arrivals by sea to Spain are nearly 80% of all Mediterranean arrivals of this type; moreover that total nearly matches all arrivals of this type to Spain through the first three months of 2018, a period during which IOM reported 3,369 irregular migrant arrivals to Spain by sea.

Deaths on the three main Mediterranean Sea routes through these first 16 days of January are at 83 individuals, compared with 199 deaths during the same period in 2018.