Over 1,500 refugees have been rescued off the Libyan coast in seven separate operations, the Italian navy said Thursday, after a break in bad weather sparked fresh attempts at the perilous Mediterranean crossing.
The refugees were plucked from their boats by the Italian coastguard, the navy, a Doctors Without Borders boat and two vessels operating under the EU's Operation Sophia, which patrols the sea for people smugglers.
The political turmoil, armed conflicts, and instability have pushed people out countries such as Syria, Iraq, Libya, Yemen, and Afghanistan. Many of the refugees attempting to reach E.U. countries use boats to get to the borders of Europe through the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas.
As of December 1, the International Organization for Migration reports that 878,495 migrants and refugees have crossed into Europe via sea routes this year. Unfortunately, a total of 3,563 migrants and refugees have perished at sea. Also, 731,161 people have reached irregularly Greece through the Mediterranean this year with 589 deaths. Of those arriving to Greece, approximately 53% are Syrians and nearly 20% are Afghans.
