Between January 1 and May 8, more than 7,800 illegal migrants and refugees arrived in Greece from the sea.
In the same period, Spain received 7,202 people, a number that was significantly higher than the 5,219 that had reached the country in the corresponding period of 2018.
As noted in the UN report for the same period, 493 people drowned in their efforts to make the journey of hope for a better future.
In total, between 2014 and 2018, more than 30,000 immigrants lost their lives in the course of their efforts to reach Europe.