Nearly 6000 migrants died
Nearly 9,000 people died crossing borders last year, the UN Migration Agency (IOM) said, the fifth consecutive year of record deaths. The agency released the data in a report on Friday (March 21). The IOM has documented at least 8,938 migrant deaths. However, the organization fears that the real number is much higher as many deaths go unreported.
“The increase in deaths is alarming. The thousands of unreported deaths every year are even more tragic,” said Julia Black, coordinator of the IOM’s Missing Migrants Project.
The highest number of migrant deaths in 2024 occurred in Asia (2,788), followed by the Mediterranean region (2,452) and Africa (2,242). The Caribbean region accounted for 341 deaths, Europe (233) and the Darien Gap between Colombia and Panama (174), a new record.
The report highlights the importance of the global migration crisis and humanitarian assistance, as the IOM is suspending many operations and laying off hundreds of staff due to reduced US funding.
Nearly 9,000 people died crossing borders last year, the UN Migration Agency (IOM) said, the fifth consecutive year of record deaths. The agency released the data in a report on Friday (March 21). The IOM has documented at least 8,938 migrant deaths. However, the organization fears that the real number is much higher as many deaths go unreported.
“The increase in deaths is alarming. The thousands of unreported deaths every year are even more tragic,” said Julia Black, coordinator of the IOM’s Missing Migrants Project.
The highest number of migrant deaths in 2024 occurred in Asia (2,788), followed by the Mediterranean region (2,452) and Africa (2,242). The Caribbean region accounted for 341 deaths, Europe (233) and the Darien Gap between Colombia and Panama (174), a new record.
The report highlights the importance of the global migration crisis and humanitarian assistance, as the IOM is suspending many operations and laying off hundreds of staff due to reduced US funding.
