1,530 migrants, refugees died crossing Mediterranean in 2017: UN

At least 1,530 migrants and refugees died crossing the Mediterranean in 2017, the UN Migration Agency has said.

AN IOM report on Friday said 60,521 migrants and refugees have entered Europe by sea this year, with over 80 per cent arriving in Italy and the rest divided between Greece, Cyprus and Spain, Xinhua news agency quoted Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, as saying.

"This number does not include some 6,000 people who have been rescued over the past 72 hours," said Dujarric.

In terms of fatalities, there have been 1,530 migrants and refugees who have died this year on this route, a figure that roughly matches that for 2016 for the same period, he said.

However, the IOM warned the deadliest season is starting right now, said the spokesman.

--IANS

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