At least 10 migrants dead as boat sinks off Greek island

With just days left in 2015, the number of migrants and refugees who entered Europe totaled 1,005,504, the Geneva-based International Organization for Migration said Monday. In addition, over 34,000 refugees have crossed from Turkey into Bulgaria and Greece by land, according to IOM. The International Organization for Migration said 706 people drowned in Aeagan Sea route travelling from Turkey to Greece, while 72 died en route to Spain.

Some 219,000 refugees and migrants arrived in Europe via the Mediterranean previous year.

Greek coastguard officials said that the tragic incident took place earlier today, and another 13 people, 11 men and two women, were rescued.

Half of those arriving in six countries were Syrians fleeing war and the overwhelming majority landed in Greece.

It explained further that Afghans accounted for 20 per cent and Iraqis for seven per cent. “It’s not enough to count the number of those arriving – or the almost 4,000 this year reported missing or drowned”, IOM Director General William Lacy Swing said in a statement.

Refugees and migrants sit atop a heavily-listing small vessel on the way to Lesbos, Greece, on October 30, 2015.

As of 21 December, some 972,500 had crossed the Mediterranean Sea, according to UNHCR figures. He says their cases should be looked at to see if they have a legitimate claim for refugee status. One of the attackers used a fake Syrian passport to enter Europe through Greece.

Germany and Sweden have welcomed the largest numbers of refugees. “We must also act”, he added, calling for “legal, safe and secure” migration for those forced to leave their home country. Others continue to arrive from Africa and South Asia, fleeing poverty and oppression.

He called for European countries to recognize the positive contributions made by refugees and migrants and to honor what he said were “core European values: protecting lives, upholding human rights and promoting tolerance and diversity”.

This story was first published on CNN.com, “Number of migrants reaching Europe this year passes 1 million”.

Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov has sharply criticized the European Union’s policy on migration as the continent faces its biggest refugee crisis since World War II. This is really a global issue and needs to be dealt with as such, and I think is increasingly being done so, a little late but better late than never.