Most perished trying to swim ashore.
But hundreds, and possibly thousands, have perished trying to make the crossing.
More than 170,000 people have been rescued by Italy in the last 14 months and hundreds, possibly thousands, have perished trying to make the crossing.
Forestry officials say the firefighters' work was hampered by the lack of satellite imagery.Many perished trying to escape from Zacharo, a village in the Elis district in south-western Greece, as it was engulfed by flames.
Were there one at here, 17-year-old Mohammad Aamer would now have his name on it after starting the final with five dot balls and the scalp of Dilshan, who perished trying to play the type of shot that has brought him so much success over the past fortnight.
And thousands of others perished trying to reach Europe in 2014.
The problem of migrants trying to travel from Africa to Europe by sea has been in the spotlight recently, after 300 perished trying to make the journey last week.
With more than 250 people having perished trying to climb Everest, due to accidents or illness caused by the high altitude and low temperatures, Mr Samra says he shouldn't have been surprised.
Of more than 3,000 migrants known to have died trying to cross the Mediterranean this year, about three out of four perished trying to reach Italy from North Africa, mainly Libya, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
Boards devise these juggling acts for the purpose of frustrating owners so they give up trying or, in the case of the elderly, they perish trying.
