Numbers fleeing across Mediterranean up tenfold so far

New figures show nearly 10 times as many people have fled across the Mediterranean Sea so far this year compared with the same time a year ago. More than 110-thousand people crossed the Mediterranean to Greece and Italy in search of new homes in the first six weeks of this year. The new wave of crossings is causing tensions to escalate and prompting more calls to reconsider passport-free travel between the European Union states.

Humanitarian aid at a warehouse on the edge of Damascus Source: AAP