Fewer Mediterranean migrant deaths in 2016: Report

A total of 188,075 refugees and migrants reached Europe by sea in the first five months of 2016 -- more than twice the 91,860 arrivals in the same period in 2015, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said on Friday.

However, the latest migration figures reveal that the fatality rate decreased significantly, reported Xinhua news agency.

While 1,357 migrants drowned crossing the Mediterranean Sea as of May 11, 2016, the number of deaths over the same period in 2015 amounted to 1,792, or 32 percent more than this year's death toll.

Similar to last year, the central Mediterranean route linking North Africa with Italy was the deadliest migratory passage, with 976 individuals having lost their lives there.

At least 376 migrants drowned while crossing the eastern Mediterranean passage separating Turkey and Greece.

A further five deaths were reported on the Western Mediterranean and Western African routes.

Over a million maritime refugees and migrants crossed into Europe in 2015, and 3,770 drowned in their attempt to do so.

--IANS

lok/dg