Approximately 2,000 out of about 150,000 immigrants who tried to reach Europe via the Mediterranean this year have died in their effort to cross the Sea.

International Organization for Migration (IOM) spokesman Joel Millman said 1,914 people had died making the perilous journey.

"That is about double last year's pace," he said warning about the surging numbers in both the migration rate and death toll.

Millman added on Friday alone, the Italian coastguard had rescued 823 migrants in eight different operations, and recovered 12 bodies from the water.

Coping stress

A UN official has emphasized that an urgent response from Europe is needed; otherwise, the situation would get worse than it is.

"The numbers of people arriving are now so high that despite all efforts, the authorities and local communities can no longer cope," United Nations High Commission for Refugees spokesman William Spindler told reporters in Geneva.

Nearly half of the people who have crossed the Mediterranean so far this year have landed in Italy and the almost the other half in Greece.

"On average, 1,000 arrive every day on the Greek islands," said the  UNHCR spokesman.

"Greece urgently needs help and we expect Europe to step forward," he said.

Meanwhile, European Union leaders agreed last month to redistribute 40,000 asylum-seekers already in Europe to help take the load off countries like Greece and Italy.

However, many EU states are strongly opposed  to mandatory entry of refugees and say they would help on a voluntary basis.

Most of the refugees who risk their lives to reach Europe are fleeing from misery-stricken conflict-zones in the Middle East and Africa.