(MENAFN- QNA) Some 137,000 fled across the Mediterranean to Europe in the first half of the year, nearly double the amount seen in the same period last year, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said Wednesday in Geneva.
The large majority were refugees rather than economic migrants, according to the UNHCR.
One in three of the boat people were from Syria, while Afghans and Eritreans made up the second and third largest groups, respectively.
"As Europe debates the best way to deal with the rising crisis on the Mediterranean, we must be clear: Most of the people arriving by sea in Europe are refugees, seeking protection from war and persecution," UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres said.
The UN agency predicted that arrivals would continue to soar in the second half of the year, as summer months are the main season for making the dangerous crossing, dpa reported.
The eastern route from Turkey to Greece has now surpassed the central Mediterranean route from Northern Africa to Italy as the main way for crossing the sea to Europe, UNHCR said.
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