The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on Thursday urged Europe to act urgently to the significant increase in the number of immigrants crossing the Mediterranean, in a statement released in Geneva.
In the last 10 days, more than 260 immigrants have died trying to cross the Mediterranean, bringing to over 800 the number of deaths this year.
“The death of 260 people in less than 10 days, in horrible circumstances, shows that the crisis intensifies in the Mediterranean,” said High Commissioner for Refugees, Antonio Guterres.
“Europeans must act urgently to prevent this catastrophe from worsening further,” he added.
Guterres called on governments to strengthen their relief operations, providing quick access to asylum procedures for those who need protection and find legal alternatives to the dangerous crossing the Mediterranean.
The balance of 800 dead since the beginning of the year is higher than the (600 dead) last year and 2012 (500).
According to reports the 52-year-old man complained about problems with his health before being taken to the hospital for treatment, where he died a few hours later.
This is the fifth death of an immigrant held in a Greek detention center since the launching of “Xenius Zeus” police operation. Three died because there is insufficient medical assistance, one died under “undefined circumstances” and one immigrant committed suicide.
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