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More migrants take sea route to Spain than Italy this year: UN
GENEVA, July 17, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – The number of migrants arriving in Spain
by boat is surging, the UN said Tuesday, and it has now surpassed Italy as
the top destination for Mediterranean crossings.
So far this year, 50,872 migrants have crossed the Mediterranean to Europe
— less than half the number that made the treacherous journey during the
same period of 2017, according to the UN migration agency.
But while the overall numbers have fallen dramatically, Spain has seen
landings on its shores nearly triple, IOM said.
“As we have predicted for several weeks now, Spain has become the most
active route of African migrants and people using Africa as a stepping stone
into Europe,” agency spokesman Joel Millman told reporters in Geneva.
Spain “surpassed Italy this past weekend,” he said.
In all, 18,061 migrants have arrived in Spain since January, compared to
6,500 during the first half of 2017, with nearly 10,000 of those arrivals
registered in June alone.
At the same time, arrivals in Italy total 17,827 since the beginning of
the year — compared to 93,237 during the same period last year.
The dramatic drop of Italian arrivals came after a controversial deal
reached between Rome and the Libyan coastguard a year ago.
The numbers have fallen further since Italy’s new populist government
pushed the issue to the forefront of the EU agenda last month by refusing to
open the country’s ports to a number of NGO migrant rescue ships operating in
the Mediterranean.
Spain has opened its ports to several rescue ships run by charities which
were turned away from Italy.
BSS/AFP/BZC/1755HRS