The International Organization for Migration (IOM) revealed on Thursday that nearly 8,000 people died or went missing on perilous migration routes in 2025, marking a grim toll despite a slight decline from the previous year. The agency recorded 7,667 fatalities globally, down from over 9,200 in 2024, but warned the drop may stem from reduced monitoring capacity rather than improved safety.
With legal migration pathways narrowing, more individuals are forced into irregular journeys facilitated by smugglers, the IOM stated. This trend coincides with intensified border enforcement in Europe, the United States, and other regions, where deterrence measures have taken precedence over humanitarian protections.
Sea crossings remained among the deadliest routes, with 2,108 deaths or disappearances in the Mediterranean and 1,047 on the Atlantic route to Spain’s Canary Islands. Asia saw over 3,000 migrant deaths, more than half involving Afghan nationals, while 922 perished along the Horn of Africa-Yemen-Gulf corridor, mostly Ethiopians lost in mass shipwrecks.
IOM Director General Amy Pope called the deaths "a global failure," urging immediate action to expand safe migration channels. The crisis has persisted into 2026, with 606 Mediterranean deaths recorded as of February 24.
Funding cuts have hampered data collection, particularly in remote areas, suggesting the true toll is far higher. The report underscores the urgent need for international cooperation to address root causes and protect vulnerable migrants.
