26 Aug 2014 - The series of tragedies last weekend in the Mediterranean marks one of the deadliest periods of 2014, with an estimated 230 migrants lost and presumed dead. With this weekend’s deaths, IOM believes that as many as 1,800 migrants may have died trying to reach Italy from North Africa so far in 2014. That is compared to an estimated 700 during the whole of 2013. “One more time, these tragic events show that something must be done to solve the problem of irregular immigration across the Mediterranean,” said IOM Director General William Lacy Swing. “The obligation to save lives surpasses everything else. But rescue at sea is not the ultimate solution. Alternatives are needed: providing safe and legal entry into Europe; resettlement opportunities; family reunification; and voluntary return for economic migrants who do not need protection,” he added.