Un Reports Nearly 8,000 Migrants Died On Routes In 2025

In a recent report by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), it was revealed that at least 7,667 migrants died or went missing on migration routes worldwide in 2025, a slight decrease from the nearly 9,200 deaths recorded in 2024. IOM Director General Amy Pope emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating, "The continued loss of life on migration routes is a global failure we cannot accept as normal," and called for the establishment of safer legal migration pathways, asserting, "These deaths are not inevitable." The Mediterranean Sea remains one of the deadliest routes, with 2,185 people reported missing or dead while attempting to cross, and an alarming 606 deaths already recorded in the first two months of 2026 alone, indicating a troubling trend as arrivals in Italy decline sharply. The report also highlighted that funding cuts for humanitarian organizations and crackdowns on NGOs have hindered accurate tracking of migrant deaths, with the IOM noting that the actual death toll is likely much higher due to limited access to data and search-and-rescue operations.