GENEVA, July 4 (Xinhua) -- The International Organization for Migration (IOM) on Tuesday urged European Union (EU) member states to step-up cooperation in the shared interest of saving more lives in the Mediterranean Sea, and to help Italy receive, assist, and accommodate people rescued at sea.
Ahead of this week's informal meeting of EU justice and home affairs ministers, the IOM reiterated that the EU could not continue to deal with the situation in "crisis" mode.
IOM Director-General William Lacy Swing said in a statement issued Tuesday that the reception of rescued migrants should not be seen as an issue only for Italy, but for Europe as a whole.
"Italy has consistently shown its will and determination to deploy the means and capacities to save lives and handle the hundreds of thousands of people arriving at its shores over the past several years across the Mediterranean," he said.
According to the latest IOM figure, nearly 12,000 migrants have been rescued and brought to Italy since June 24 of this year, and as of July 3, 85,183 migrants had been rescued in 2017.
IOM figures also show that arrivals to Italy are up around 19 percent over last year, but in line with a generally stable trend over the last few years.
According to the IOM, arrivals in June 2017 reached 23,411, which was similar to arrivals in June 2016 and June 2015.
Migrant deaths in the Mediterranean are estimated by IOM to be at least 2,247 so far this year, well on the way to matching last year's record number of fatalities, which exceeded 5,000 men, women and children.
