New York: Europe and the Arabs
New data compiled by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) shows that 2024 was the deadliest year on record for migrants, with at least 8,938 people dying on migration routes worldwide, continuing a five-year trend of rising deaths. According to a UN news bulletin we received on Saturday morning, in a statement, IOM Deputy Director-General for Operations, Ugochi Daniels, said the tragedy of the rising number of migrant deaths worldwide is unacceptable and preventable. She added: “Behind every number is a human being whose loss is devastating. The increase in deaths in many regions of the world demonstrates the need for a comprehensive international response that will prevent further tragic loss of life.”
The organization’s data found that 2024 was also the deadliest year on record in most regions of the world. The documented deaths in the Mediterranean Sea—2,452—is not the highest annual total ever, but the large number demonstrates the need for adequate search and rescue systems, as well as safe and regular migration routes as alternatives to this perilous journey.
The organization added in a statement issued Friday that final data for the Americas is not yet available, but it confirmed that at least 1,233 deaths occurred in 2024. This includes an unprecedented 341 deaths in the Caribbean and a record 174 deaths of migrants crossing the Darién Strait.
The IOM also noted that deaths resulting from violence remain widespread among people on the move.
It emphasized that the actual number of migrant deaths and disappearances is likely much higher, as many remain undocumented due to the scarcity of official sources. Furthermore, the identities and characteristics of the majority of those who died or disappeared are unknown. “The high death toll is horrific in itself, but the fact that thousands of people remain unidentified each year is even more tragic,” said Julia Black, IOM Missing Migrants Project Coordinator. “In addition to the despair and lingering questions faced by families who have lost a loved one, the lack of comprehensive data on the risks migrants face hinders life-saving responses.”
To help fill this gap, the upcoming Missing Migrants Project Annual Report will provide a detailed analysis of data on migrant deaths in 2024, as well as a new analysis on missing migrants in humanitarian crises.
IOM emphasized that the high death toll detailed in the report highlights the need for safe and legal pathways for people on the move, which remains “the only sustainable solution to the migrant mortality crisis.”