Over 70 thousand refugees entered Europe since the beginning of 2019

According to the report released by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), 1,041 lost their lives at sea.

During the same period last year, close to 84,345 refugees and migrants were able to reach Europe through the Mediterranean Sea, while 1,890 of them drowned at sea.

This year, 39,155 illegal migrants and refugees arrived in Greece, more than half of the total arrivals, the AA broadcasts.

“These achievements, within nine months of 2019, are more than two out of the past six years”, the report says.

On the eastern Mediterranean route, the death toll reported to have reached 66 in 2019. On the western road, Spain accepted 17.405 illegal migrants and refugees.

The number of deaths reported on the West Mediterranean route was 315, compared to 511 in 2018.

According to the IOM report, about 8,000 migrants have so far entered Italy this year. About 21,100 migrants entered the country during the same period in 2018.

Malta accepted over 2,800 refugees and migrants this year, marked by the same period last year, which had 714 arrivals.

Deaths on the central Mediterranean road dropped to 660 in 2019, compared to 1,261 over the same period last year.