Cover image via GUIm.co.uk
More than 700 people are believed to have drowned in the Mediterranean last week, the deadliest seven days for Europe-bound asylum seekers in more than a year
The casualties happened in three separate incidents on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday after more than 13,000 people set sail from Libya for Italy in an eight-day period, according to [The Guardian] (http://www.theguardian.com/).
"This is by far the busiest week this year in terms of operations, people rescued but also in terms of casualties," said William Spindler, spokesman for the United Nations High Commissioner For Refugees, to [USA Today] (http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2016/05/29/migrants-feared-dead-mediterranean-shipwrecks/85123480/).
Image via Eritrea
Since 2014, an estimated 8,000 people have lost their lives trying to cross into the EU, based on the published figures from the International Organization for Migration ([IOM] (http://www.iom.int))
More than 1,250 unidentified people (including children) have been buried in unmarked graves in 70 sites in Turkey, Greece and Italy. The majority died trying to cross the Mediterranean to seek a new life in Europe, said [BBC] (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/resources/idt-91f3683c-5e3c-4a2e-92eb-7d7f6a024c02).
Image via IOM
About 700 migrants from Islamic State-occupied Libya may be dead after the three small boats they were using to cross the Mediterranean capsized, the United Nations' refugee agency said Sunday according to [The Week] (http://theweek.com/10things/619384/10-things-need-know-today-may-29-2016).
Image via Indian Express
In just the first five months of this year, more than 194,600 migrants have fled to Europe
That's double the number of migrants who fled in the first five months of 2015, according to IOM. And even if they survive the dangerous journey to Europe, many migrants face uncertain futures. At least 65 migrants have died from shipwrecks in the Mediterranean Sea in the past week. And with hundreds still missing, officials fear the death toll could soar above 700, as reported by [CNN] (http://edition.cnn.com/2016/05/29/europe/migrant-deaths/).
Image via CCUN
