Brussels, 22 August 2019  – The number of men, women and children escaping their countries and arriving in Europe has dropped over the first seven months of 2019 compared to last year: so far 53,761 reached EU borders, of which nearly 43,105 have risked their lives crossing the sea and 10,656 arriving by land UNHCR reports.

The UN agency adds in its report that 839 are those dead or missing until July 31st 2019. In 2018 arrivals have been 141.472 while 2.277 were dead or missing.

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The drastic change in immigration policy in Italy with closed harbours and recent approval of tougher version of Security Decree determined since last year a change in migration routes: now the main one is the Eastern European one through Turkey and Greece.

The majority of refugees come from Afghanistan where the latest terror attack (Saturday 17 August 2019) claimed by Taliban, caused 80 dead and 160 wounded. So far 4,524 Afghani reached European shores this year. 

Second country of origin of refugees and migrants crossing the sea is Morocco, a country crossed by those fleeing Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Mali and other Western African countries. From there they head to Spain where this year to July 4.057 disembarked.   

Refugees escaping war in Syria crossing central Mediterranean are until 31 July 3,089. 

Garance Dessey