According to a report by the UN agency, around 364,000 people arrived by sea, with an alarming increase in those who used the dangerous Central Mediterranean route between Africa and southern Italy, to cross from Turkey to Greece.
UN measures to stop the flow of migrants are concentrated on deterrence and blocking access, which have made conditions in camps worse and increased fatalities due to the use of alternative routes that pose a greater risk, say analysts.
According to data recently released by the International Organization for Migration, in 2016 more than 5,000 migrants died in the Mediterranean Sea, representing an increase of 25 percent compared to the previous year, when 3,700 people perished.
PL/MNA