Red Cross Flanders records 156 new missing family cases in 2025
Red Cross Flanders has opened 156 new cases this year concerning families who lost contact due to war, violence or migration, involving 337 individuals. The organisation works to reconnect families separated under these circumstances. Currently, 671 cases remain open in Flanders, while the international Red Cross network manages over 250.000 cases worldwide. Efforts cover more than twenty countries, including Ukraine, Afghanistan and Congo.
Reuniting families separated by war, violence, or migration is a core task of Red Cross Flanders. Since January, the organisation has successfully closed 15 cases and located 30 individuals from countries including Afghanistan, Angola, Cameroon, Congo, Serbia, Slovakia and Somalia.
In Flanders, a team of volunteers handles several hundred cases each year. They collect detailed information on the missing individuals, their last known contact and the circumstances of separation, often relying on small but important details to support searches.
Many cases remain unreported due to fear, despair or lack of awareness of available support. According to Marijke Peys, head of Restoring Family Links at Red Cross Flanders, “We are only seeing the tip of the iceberg; sometimes families reconnect only after a conflict ends or through an unexpected sign of life.”
Families seeking help can contact Red Cross Flanders’ Restoring Family Links (RFL) service, which specialises in locating missing persons and restoring contact. RFL also provides information to persons with international protection in Belgium on the procedure for family reunification.