IOM reports that 350,573 migrants and refugees entered Europe by sea in 2016 through 30 November, arriving mostly in Greece and Italy, compared with 883,393 by this time in 2015.

Some 171,751 people have arrived in Greece and 173,188 in Italy during 2016. Arrivals in Italy increased by 20.1 percent from 144,205 at this point last year. The figures, provided by the Italian Ministry of Interior, show that migrants continued to cross the Mediterranean, despite dangerous sea conditions and colder winter weather.

The total number of migrant and refugee fatalities in the Mediterranean since the beginning of 2016 is now 4,699. This is some 1,125 more than at this point last year, when 3,565 men, women and children were reported drowned.