The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) says 525 migrants and refugees have died in the Mediterranean sea while trying to enter Europe.

The data on deaths of migrants was compiled by the IOM’s Global Migration Data Analysis Centre.

The report stated that there were 19,653 estimated total arrivals by sea, with Italy having 15,843 arrivals within the stated period.

On Monday, Kelly Namia of IOM Athens reported that 2,810 migrants and refugees entered Europe through Greece since the start of 2017, compared with 143,205 within the same period in 2016.

Spain, however, recorded 1,000 arrivals compared with no arrivals in the same period in 2016.

The report also noted that 2017 recorded a decline in migration within the aforementioned time compared to 2016.

“IOM reports that 19,653 migrants and refugees entered Europe by sea in 2017 through 14 March; this compares with 152,701 through the first 73 days of 2016.”

The IOM stated that data on arrivals was based on that from respective governments and IOM field offices.