UN Report Reveals Over 72,000 Migrants Dead or Missing Since 2014
A staggering number of over 72,000 migrants have died or disappeared on migration routes around the world in the past decade, according to a new report by the United Nations. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) highlighted that last year alone saw a record high of at least 8,938 migrant deaths.
“These numbers are a tragic reminder that people risk their lives when insecurity, lack of opportunity, and other pressures leave them with no safe or viable options at home,” said Amy Pope, the IOM’s chief.
The report uncovers that nearly 75% of these deaths occurred as people fled areas affected by conflict, disaster, and humanitarian crises. Many of the victims were from crisis-stricken countries like Afghanistan, Syria, and among the Rohingya from Myanmar.
The Central Mediterranean route remains the deadliest for migrants, with almost 25,000 lives lost at sea over the past decade. Thousands have perished after departing from Libya, a nation torn by war, while others vanished crossing the perilous Sahara Desert.
Amy Pope called for international efforts to address the root causes of migration. “We must work together to enable safe, legal, and orderly pathways that protect lives,” she emphasized. “Investment is needed to create stability and opportunity within communities, so that migration is a choice, not a necessity.”
The report also points out that due to significant data gaps, especially in war zones and disaster areas, the actual death toll is likely much higher. “Too often, migrants fall through the cracks,” warned Julia Black, coordinator of the IOM’s Missing Migrants Project and author of the report.
This sobering report sheds light on the urgent need for global action to protect vulnerable migrants and address the conditions that force them to embark on dangerous journeys.
