UN: 348,000 boat migrants set up 2014 for record year.

Geneva, Safar 18, 1436, Dec 10, 2014, SPA -- A record number of 348,000 people embarked on

dangerous sea journeys to escape conflicts or economic hardship so

far this year, dpa cited the UN refugee agency UNHCR as saying Wednesday in Geneva.

Nearly 4,300 migrants have died on the seas this year. This is

equivalent to 1 death in 100 attempts.

Conflicts in Iraq, Syria, Libya and Ukraine prompted 207,000 people

to flee across the Mediterranean this year, and 3,400 did not make

the journey, the office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees

said.

Countries should not simply close their borders nor implement other

policies designed to deter migrants, High Commissioner Antonio

Guterres said.

--SPA

11:53 LOCAL TIME 08:53 GMT

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