“The month peaked at 10,006 (arrivals in Greece alone) on a single day, on october 20”.
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The October record trumps the previous record set in September, when 172,800 sea journeys were made from northern Africa and Turkey to Europe’s southern border nations, namely Italy and Greece.
The top nationality are Syrian, accounting for 53% of arrivals, as a result of the civil war that has driven hundreds of thousands from their homes. Afghans were the second largest refugee population, accounting for 18 percent of the total, according to Reuters.
As long as people feel that Europe is their best chance at a future for themselves and their families, the flow of refugees will likely continue.
“Significant, targeted help should be given by the worldwide community to countries such as Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon where camps for genuine refugees have been created, instead of policies that entice more and more people to risk their lives trying to cross the Mediterranean this winter”.
More than 218,000 foreigners entered the continent by boat in October – equal to the total for all of 2014.
However, that plan has already been eclipsed, with 744,000 arriving so far. A few 3,440 are estimated to have died or gone missing in the attempt to escape to Europe.
“It is the new reality that we all have to deal with”.
As record numbers of migrants and refugee reach the shores of southern and eastern Europe, there are concerns that the refugee crisis is hitting Greece’s lucrative tourism sector.
The figures do not take into account the latest tragedy, with at least 15 migrants and refugees, including six children, drowning off Greece on Sunday when two boats making the hazardous crossing from Turkey capsized.
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Four people were rescued.
