MNA � The UN Migration Agency (IOM) said Friday that 1,530 migrants and refugees died crossing the Mediterranean in 2017.


The IOM reports that 60,521 migrants and refugees have entered Europe by�sea this year, with�over 80 percent arriving in�Italy and the remainder divided between�Greece, Cyprus and Spain, said Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for�UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, at�the daily news briefing.

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 those for�2016 for�the same period, he said.

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