Web Alert: UNHRC – The number of migrants entering Mediterranean by sea dropped in 2016

The United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) recently released a report showing that the total number of migrants who reached the Mediterranean by sea in 2016 fell by nearly two-thirds in comparison with 2015. According to the UNHRC, 364,000 migrants had reached Europe via a Mediterranean crossing during 2016 compared to 1,015,07 refugees who were estimated to have crossed the Mediterranean in 2015. Despite the number of crossings being lower, the number of people feared to have lost their lives is 5,096, more than any other year on record.

The UNHRC reports that 181,436 arrived in Italy while 173,477 migrants arrived in Greece. Spain recorded 6,826 arrivals and Cyprus 189. It has further been reported that the vast majority of those crossing the Mediterranean are from Syria (about 26,2%), while Afghanistan accounted for 13,6% of arrivals and Nigeria 8,50%.

Members trading in the Mediterranean are advised to continue exercising vigilance and remain fully prepared in the event their assistance in required to engage in a search and rescue operation.

The club will continue to keep members fully updated on any developments, with further alerts where necessary. If a member has any queries in relation to this issue, they should not hesitate to call their usual club contact, or the author of this web alert.