The International Organization on Migration has disclosed that 128 migrants, comprising Nigerians and other West Africans, died while crossing the Mediterranean Sea to Europe between March 6 and 26, 2017. According to the UN agency, in a statement by its spokesman Flavio Di Giacomo, this makes it 649 deaths recorded in the first 86 days of 2017.

According to Di Giacomo, other nationals included Gambians, Ivorians, Ghanaians, Malians, Senegalese and Guineans (both Guinea-Bissau and Conakry), 521 deaths were recorded in the first 65 days of 2017. He said the number of deaths recorded in the first 86 days of 2017 was higher compared with 566 deaths recorded in the same period on March 26, 2016.

Di Giacomo explained that 2,320 migrants were brought to land between March 23 and 24, 2017. He said that another set of 1,160 migrants, which did not include the number above, were brought to land on March 25 and 26, saying that one corpse was found on a dinghy which was carrying 138 migrants.

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