Over 3,800 Migrants Arrive in Europe Via Mediterranean in January

3,829 migrants and refugees entered Europe by the Mediterranean Sea in 2017, over two thirds arrived in Italy and the rest in Greece, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Over 3,800 migrants have crossed the Mediterranean Sea to get into Europe since the start of the year, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said Friday.

"IOM reports that 3,829 migrants and refugees entered Europe by sea in 2017, through 25 January, well over two thirds arriving in Italy and the rest in Greece," the organization said in a statement.

The figure is just a fraction of some 48,000 migrant arrivals recorded over the same period last year.

At least 246 people died while trying to cross the sea throughout January, with more than 16 dead since Tuesday, according to the IOM. The deaths occurred on the route between Libya and Italy, with over 100 rescued off the coast of Tripoli on Tuesday.

Over 2015 and 2016, hundreds of thousands of migrants and refugees from the Middle East and North Africa crossed into Europe, mainly along the Mediterranean Sea route, seeking asylum in EU member states.

According to IOM figures, over 360,000 migrant and refugees arrived to Europe via the Mediterranean Sea in 2016. The year was the deadliest for migrants on record in the region, with over 5,000 deaths at sea, the IOM said.