IOM Expresses Concern Over Rising Risks to Irregular Migrants in the Atlantic Ocean

Geneva, November 9 (KUNA) -- The Director General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Amy Pope, expressed her concern on Monday regarding the escalating risks faced by irregular migrants on transatlantic and Mediterranean migration routes. Pope’s statement came in response to the announcement that 56 migrants died in separate shipwrecks off the coasts of Senegal and Greece late last week.

In a statement, Pope said that at least 34 people lost their lives on Friday after a boat carrying migrants capsized off the northwestern coast of Senegal, near the Lompoul area. She also noted that 22 migrants drowned after two boats departing from eastern Libya capsized south of the Greek island of Crete.

Pope stated that these incidents highlight the continuous human toll along migration routes, pointing to a rise in the number of migrants using the maritime route from eastern Libya to Crete this year. She called for a coordinated international response to combat smuggling and human trafficking networks, and to provide safe and legal alternatives for migration. (End) A.M.K. / S.A.M.