At the end of September 2023, “more than 2500 migrants have died or gone missing in the Mediterranean”, said Ruven Menikdiwela, director of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on 28 September. This figure represents an increase of almost 50% compared to the same period in 2022, says PressAfrik media. Ms Menikdiwela recalled that other would-be irregular migrants have died or disappeared without being counted because they have taken other routes, such as the land route. She reiterated UNHCR’s call for “the establishment of a regional mechanism for the disembarkation and redistribution” of people arriving by sea, stressing at the same time that Italy cannot take in all migrants.