Over 131,000 migrants reached Europe by sea in 2016—UN | Inquirer News

Over 131,000 migrants reached Europe by sea in 2016—UN

/ 07:36 PM March 01, 2016

APTOPIX Greece Migrants

Afghan migrants disembark safely from their frail boat in bad weather on the Greek island of Lesbos after crossing the Aegean see from Turkey, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2015. AP File Photo

GENEVA, Switzerland—More than 131,000 migrants and refugees have reached Europe via the Mediterranean this year, more than the total number in the first half of 2015, the United Nations said Tuesday.

Out of a total of 131,724 people who have arrived on Europe’s shores this year, 122,637 landed in Greece and most were fleeing the conflict in Syria, the UN’s refugee agency (UNHCR) said.

Article continues after this advertisement

READ: More than 1,000 immigrants reach Greece by sea in a day

FEATURED STORIES

The agency said an estimated 24,000 migrants in Greece were in need of accommodation as of Monday night.

Huge blockages of people have built up in the country after European nations including neighboring Macedonia set tight limits on migrants entries.

Article continues after this advertisement

READ: Record 218,000 migrants crossed Mediterranean in October—UN

“Europe is on the cusp of a largely self-induced humanitarian crisis,” the agency warned, accusing EU governments of fuelling the chaos and suffering by resorting to “inconsistent practices” in response to the migrant crisis.

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our daily newsletter

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.

TAGS: Europe, migrants

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our newsletter!

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.

© Copyright 1997-2024 INQUIRER.net | All Rights Reserved

This is an information message

We use cookies to enhance your experience. By continuing, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn more here.