File image of a boat washed ashore at Marinella di Selinunte, Sicily, used by dozens of migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea. (EPA Images pic)PARIS : The first two months of 2026 saw a record number of migrant deaths in the Mediterranean, despite fewer crossing attempts towards Europe, according to data from the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Another reason pushing migrants into rickety boats, charities say, is the shrinking opportunities for legal pathways into Europe. The EU border agency only counts people arriving at the bloc’s outer borders, “not the number of departures” trying to reach Europe, he said. The number of deaths counted of people trying to make the crossing is “well below the reality”, he said.

Source: Libya Today March 19, 2026 13:36 UTC