A record number of 348,000 people embarked on dangerous sea journeys to escape conflicts or economic hardship so far this year, dpa cited the UN refugee agency UNHCR as saying Wednesday in Geneva. Nearly 4,300 migrants have died on the seas this year. This is equivalent to 1 death in 100 attempts. Conflicts in Iraq, Syria, Libya and Ukraine prompted 207,000 people to flee across the Mediterranean this year, and 3,400 did not make the journey, the office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees said. Countries should not simply close their borders nor implement other policies designed to deter migrants, High Commissioner Antonio Guterres said.
