Nearly 9.000 people died on migration routes worldwide in 2024, according to IOM
According to new data released by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), at least 8.938 persons have died or gone missing on migration routes in 2024, marking the deadliest year on record. This continues a five-year trend of increasing fatalities, surpassing the previous high of 8.747 deaths recorded in 2023.
The Missing Migrants Project is an initiative implemented since 2014 by the IOM to document deaths and disappearances of people in the process of migration towards an international destination. The project aims to provide reliable data on migrant fatalities, highlighting the risks faced by people on the move and informing policies to prevent further loss of life.
On 21 March 2025, the IOM revealed that, in 2024, the highest numbers of migrant deaths were recorded in Asia (2.778) and the Mediterranean Sea (2.452). Significant increases were observed in Africa, where 2.242 deaths were documented in 2024 (compared to 1.875 in 2023), and in Europe, where 233 migrant fatalities were recorded in 2024 (compared to 158 in 2023). In the Americas, at least 1.233 deaths were reported, including an unprecedented 341 in the Caribbean and a record 174 in the Darién Gap.
The IOM reported that violence continues to be a major cause of migrant deaths, with at least 10% of all fatalities since 2022 linked to violent incidents. In 2024, this was particularly evident in Asia, where nearly 600 people lost their lives while transiting through South and South-eastern Asia.
For further details, please read the press release from the IOM and check the latest figures here.