The United Nations Refugee Agency has announced that from the beginning of January to September 24, 2023, more than 2,500 refugees on their way through the Mediterranean Sea have either lost their lives or remain missing.
This year, 2,778 refugee deaths have been documented by the agency, underscoring the ongoing tragedy of the refugee crisis.
According to Ruven Menikdiwela, the head of the New York office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, approximately 186,000 migrants and refugees have entered Southern Europe this year, with the majority arriving in Italy.
This figure marks a significant increase compared to the number of fatalities and disappearances in the Mediterranean during a similar period in 2022, which stood at 2,680.
Menikdiwela further stated that from January to August 2023, more than 102,000 refugees and migrants attempted to reach Europe from Tunisia, an increase of 260% compared to the previous year. During the same period, over 45,000 people migrated from Libya along this route.
Around 31,000 people have been rescued at sea or landed in Tunisia after attempting the journey, while 10,600 have arrived in Libya.
According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, most migrants and refugees reached Southern Europe have arrived in Italy. This includes more than 130,000 people, representing an 83% increase compared to a similar period in 2022, with others in Greece, Spain, Cyprus, and Malta.
Menikdiwela attributed the high departure rate from Tunisia to insecurity stemming from racial violence, hate-driven attacks, and mass expulsions from Libya and Algeria. The organization has registered 50,000 refugees in Libya, but concerns persist about conditions in detention facilities.
Despite the dangerous conditions highlighted by the International Organization for Migration, refugee arrivals in Greece surged by over 300% in 2023, while Spain saw most arrivals via the Atlantic route to the Canary Islands.
Statistics regarding refugee arrivals in Italy also indicate a significant upward trend, rising from 70,000 in 2022 to 130,000 in 2023.
