IOMAt least 7,667 people died or went missing on migration routes worldwide in 2025, according to new data from the International Organization for Migration (IOM). "The continued loss of life on migration routes is a global failure we cannot accept as normal," said IOM Director General Amy Pope. The increasing restriction of search and rescue information on sea routes to Europe has meant that an exceptionally high number of cases could not be verified. In the Americas, 409 deaths were recorded in 2025, the lowest annual total since IOM began collecting data in 2014. The Eastern route also saw a marked increase, with 922 deaths recorded, compared to 558 in 2024.

Source: Ethiopian News February 27, 2026 04:09 UTC