Already this year, 374 people have died or are missing, as of February 5, while crossing the Mediterranean, according to data compiled by the International Organization for Migration (IOM). Additionally, IOM notes, 74,676 people arrived in Italy and Greece between January 1 and February 5 to seek asylum in Europe. The number is a significant increase from the same period last year when 11,834 arrived in the two countries (though 428 people died in that period).
