More than 1,750 migrants have perished in the Mediterranean since the start of the year -- more than 30 times higher than during the same period of 2014, the International Organization for Migration said Tuesday.

"IOM calculates the 2015 death toll now is more than 30 times last year's total at this date... when just 56 deaths of migrants had been reported on the Mediterranean," spokesman Joel Millman told reporters in Geneva.