More than 4,000 migrants have been returned to Libya since the beginning of the year, according to the latest IOM numbers. The report comes after two boats in the past ten days have capsized off the Libyan coast, resulting in 53 presumed deaths.
Libya's coast guard has said that at least 19 people are missing and are presumed dead after their boat capsized in the Mediterranean Sea off the east coast of Libya over the weekend. The vessel reportedly carried around two dozen mostly Egyptian migrants.
The Greek coast guard said that six bodies of migrants were discovered on the north-eastern coast of Lesbos on Tuesday. There were no signs of a shipwreck.
Dozens of new surveillance cameras are to be installed along the coast of northern France. The aim is to prevent migrant smuggling across the English Channel.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) fears that more than 30 migrants have drowned in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Tunisia. So far, only six bodies have been recovered.
An investigation is underway in Spain after four bodies were discovered over the last seven days off the area of Malaga, in the south.
A boat carrying migrants bound for the Spanish Canary Islands capsized 100 kilometers off the Moroccan coast. Forty-three migrants are feared dead while 10 were rescued.
Hizia, a 39-year-old Algerian woman, set sail for Spain on the evening of December 31. She was traveling with her two children, 9-year-old Mohammed and 14-year-old Omar. They left Oran on the Algerian coast with 13 other people, but the boat capsized off the coast of Andalusia. Omar was rescued by a merchant ship, but Hizia and her youngest son are still missing.
Greek authorities have charged three people with murder following the death of 16 migrants after a boat overturned in the Aegean Sea last Friday.
At least four migrants have died after their boat hit an islet in the Aegean Sea in the second deadly incident involving migrants in southern Greek waters in the past two days.
All 27 migrants who drowned in last month’s boat disaster in the Channel have now been identified. The incident continues to cause diplomatic tensions between France and the UK.
Fishermen in the waters between France and the UK found an empty vessel and bodies in the water. Authorities said at least 30 migrants have died.