At least 8,938 people died on migration routes in 2024, making it the deadliest year on record, according to data from the International Organization for Migration (IOM). This surpasses the previous record of 2023, when 8,747 deaths were reported.
"The rising number of migrant deaths is unacceptable and preventable. Behind every number is a person and a family devastated by loss," said Ugochi Daniels, IOM Assistant Director General for Operations.
The report reveals that 2024 was the deadliest year in several regions: Asia recorded 2,778 deaths, Africa 2,242 and Europe 233. In the Mediterranean, 2,452 people lost their lives, evidencing the need for adequate search and rescue systems, as well as safe and regular routes for migration.
In the Americas, although data are not yet complete, at least 1,233 deaths were recorded, with a record 341 deaths in the Caribbean and 174 on the dangerous Darien route. Violence continues to be a significant cause of migration deaths, especially in Asia, where nearly 600 people died in transit.
However, the actual number of deaths could be much higher, due to the lack of official sources and the difficulty in identifying victims. "The increase in deaths is alarming, but even more tragic is that thousands of people remain unidentified," said Julia Black, coordinator of IOM's Missing Migrants Project. The project's next annual publication will provide a detailed analysis of migrant deaths and disappearances in 2024.
IOM stresses the urgent need to establish safe and legal routes for migration as the only sustainable solution to reduce the crisis of migrant deaths worldwide.
Source: IOM UN Migration 21/03/2025