In 2024, at least 8,938 individuals perished during their journeys across international borders globally, marking it as the most lethal year documented thus far, based on recent data from the International Organization forMigration (IOM).
This figure extends a streak of rising mortality rates among migrants for five consecutive years, breaking the earlier high of 8,747 fatalities documented in 2023.
"The increasing fatalities among migrants across the globe are both unjustifiable and avoidable. Each statistic represents an individual whose loss is profoundly tragic," stated Ugochi Daniels, who serves as the Deputy Director General for Operations at IOM.
In July 2024, the highest number of fatalities and people reported missing were recorded, totaling 1,130 individuals.
The highest number of fatalities was reported in Asia, where 2,778 individuals were documented as deceased, followed closely by Africa which had 2,242 deaths, and then Europe with 233 deaths.
Around the globe, drowning, vehicular incidents, inadequate housing, scarcity of essential provisions like food and water, along with acts of violence continued to be the primary reasons for individuals who were displaced.
Starting from 2022, at least one out of every ten migrant fatalities documented was due to acts of violence.
In Europe, the figure dropped to 6%.
In 2024, much of this was attributed to the violence faced by people traveling through Asia, resulting in almost 600 deaths along migration paths throughout South and Southeast Asia.
Migrants who have gone missing without being found at sea or unidentified
The actual number of migrant deaths and disappearances is likely much higher, as many deaths go undocumented due to a lack of official sources.
Since 2014, the remains of more than 30,000 people who lost their lives during migration have not been recovered.
According to the IOM's Missing Migrants Project, there are likely tens of thousands of families who have loved ones who disappeared along the Central and Western Mediterranean routes towards Europe alone.
"The rise in deaths is terrible in and of itself, but the fact that thousands remain unidentified each year is even more tragic," said Julia Black, coordinator of IOM’s Missing Migrants Project.
"Beyond the despair and unresolved questions faced by families who have lost a loved one, the lack of more complete data on risks faced by migrants hinders lifesaving responses."
The most perilous path is the Central Mediterranean route, with over 24,000 individuals having perished there within the past ten years.
Across Europe, the migration paths with the highest number of casualties included the Western Balkans route and the crossing from continental Europe to the United Kingdom via the English Channel.
The migration pathway through the Western Balkans is commonly utilized by individuals seeking refuge, such as asylum applicants, who enter Greece or Bulgaria from Turkey with the aim of reaching Western or Northern European countries.
"The rise in fatalities across numerous global regions underscores the necessity for an international, comprehensive approach to avoid additional heartbreaking losses," stated Daniels.
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