More than 200,000 migrants attempted to cross the Mediterranean this year

The Mediterranean, the deadliest migration route of the world. That is the conclusion of the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR). Because "mare nostrum" is also the busiest shipping lane. Since the beginning of the year, more than 200,000 people tried to reach Europe via this route. This is three times more than in 2011, when 70,000 migrants had fled their country during the Arab revolutions.

Syrians and Eritreans alone account for half of the 207,000 migrants from countries in Africa and the Middle East and who took the risk of crossing the Mediterranean in the hope of landing in the South of Europe. They are nearly 3 500 to have lost their lives.

Rasha Almasri is Syrian, she tried the dangerous crossing. "We were at sea for a week. We suffered a lot. We experienced dark days at sea. Each time, the smugglers told us that we were leaving the next day and they always brought back more migrants on the boat. Finally, the boat broke down and we could not move forward. Egyptian warship arrived, we took charge and took us back here, "she says.

Libya, where the internal conflict continues to worsen, is unable to control its vast borders, especially in the desert. Nearly 80% of departures of migrants are carried out from the Libyan coast to reach Italy and Malta.

"We are suffering here illegal immigration of asylum seekers from countries such as Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia. There are also now many Syrians, whose numbers are increasing, and are seeking to reach Europe, "said Amer Bashier, Head of the department" Migrants "of Sebratha.

The Sebratha fishing port in Libya is a point of departure to Italy. But the Mediterranean is not the only sea used by these desperate migrants fleeing war or poverty. Because this year, 82,680 people crossed the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea from the Horn of Africa, to join the rich countries of the Persian Gulf, 242 died. Fifty-four thousand have also attempted the journey into the Bay of Bengal. This crossing was 540 dead.

In total, worldwide, 348,000 "boat people" were identified by UNHCR. More than 4,200 died or disappeared at sea.