According to a report released by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) on July 10, 2015, "more than 150,000 migrants arrived in Europe via the Mediterranean since the beginning of the year and more than 1,900 persons have died while crossing ".
The document states that most arrivals in Europe landed in Greece or Italy, "on average a thousand people arrive each day on the Greek Islands, most fleeing war in Syria," said William Spindler, spokesman of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
"The number of arrivals is so important, that despite all efforts, authorities and local communities can not face it," said the spokesman saying that "Greece is in urgent need of assistance and we expect Europe to intervene. "
Italian coastguards announced on the night of Thursday to Friday that 823 migrants were rescued during eight operations and that the bodies of 12 people were recovered.
Berlin and Paris said Thursday in Luxembourg they would take about a third of some 60,000 migrants that the European Union plans to host, to relieve Italy and Greece, subject to a very strong migratory pressure.