Thousands continue to perish attempting to cross the Mediterranean - IOM

About 3000 migrants or refugees are estimated to have died attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea since the beginning of the year according the latest statistics by the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

This albeit other indicators suggesting that many other people have gone unaccounted for.

The IOM says most of these deaths have taken place on the Central Mediterranean route linking North Africa with Italy.

This year’s death toll is significantly higher than fatality figures over the same period in 2015.

But this flow was interrupted in March, following the decision of several countries to close their borders, while the European Union has signed an agreement with Turkey to better control migration flows.

AFP