UN’s International Organisation for Migration reported that 55,001 migrants and refugees have entered Europe by sea so far this year, compared to 111,753 in the same period last year.

The number of fatalities in the Mediterranean was also down to almost half, the agency said, with 1,504 deaths reported so far this year, as compared to 2,401 drownings in 2017.

In a report published late last week, the UN’s International Organisation for Migration said that 1,111 migrants died within the so-called central Mediterranean Sea route which involves Malta and Italy.It estimated that 243 migrants had arrived in Malta up to last week.

Giving a breakdown for other countries, the agency noted that, in the first seven months of the year, there were just 18,130 migrants who arrived in Italy, contrasting that with about 94,448 in the same period a year earlier.

Malta and Italy were locked in a stand-off over which of the two countries should accept migrants stranded at sea in the central Mediterranean route last month after new Italian right-wing Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, in accordance with an election pledge to take a tough stand on migration, closed all Italian ports to NGO vessels carrying migrants.

After allowing in one such rescue vessel, the MV Lifeline, the Maltese government announced that it would also be closing its ports to NGOs pending investigations into the ship’s captain, who is facing charges in court that he skippered an unregistered boat.

A few days later, the government had said it was also stopping all aircraft based in Malta from taking part in search and rescue operations.

The UN agency also reported on other countries impacted by migration through the Mediterranean, namely Greece, Cyprus and Spain. According to the data, Greece has so far this year had 15,528 migrants arriving on its shores, while Spain had 20,992 and Cyprus 108.