By Prensa Latina
United Nations : The UN High Commissioner for Refugees announced on Friday that more than 200 people may have died recently attempting to get to Greece, Spain and Yemen.
The UNHCR spokesperson made a call for concerted action to prevent such tragedies.
The first disaster took place on Saturday when 51 people drowned during the illegal traffic of emigrants from Turkey to Greece, while another 35 disappeared and are believed dead.
Also on the weekend, Spanish media revealed that 90 people were lost at sea in two boats trying to get to the Canary Islands from Senegal and West Sahara.
Another 31 people died December 5 and 12 in the to reach the coasts of Yemen, where 27,000 emigrants from Somalia and Ethiopia have arrived this year.
UNHCR warned that tens of thousands of people risk their lives each year in precarious boats to cross the seas of the world, and while the majority seeks a better life, some are fleeing persecution and violence.
This week at a two-day conference in Geneva, government organizations and NGOs promised to strengthen protection of those people in this situation.