France, March 19 -- According to the latest data from the International Organisation for Migration, at least 655 people died or went missing in the Mediterranean in January and February - more than double the 287 recorded during the same period in 2025.

The increase comes even as European border agency Frontex reports 52 percent fewer irregular crossing attempts.

Experts say there is no single explanation. Frontex attributed the surge in deaths in part to extreme weather, including Cyclone Harry, which swept across the Mediterranean in mid-February. Storms and strong currents created hazardous conditions that many small vessels were ill-equipped to withstand, the agency said.

Frontex also pointed to the continued use of ...