At least 7,667 people died or went missing on migration routes worldwide in 2025, according to data released on Thursday by the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The agency said the figure is likely an undercount due to gaps in reporting and limited access to data.
IOM records show that the Mediterranean Sea route from Africa to Europe accounted for at least 2,108 deaths in 2025. An additional 1,047 people died or went missing while attempting to reach Spain’s Canary Islands. In early 2026, deaths on the Mediterranean have continued, with 606 fatalities recorded in the first two months of the year.
Speaking on the data, IOM Director General Amy Pope said the deaths were preventable and highlighted the absence of sufficient safe and legal migration pathways. The agency noted that funding reductions to humanitarian groups, restrictions on non-governmental rescue operations, and limited access to official records are affecting the accuracy of death tolls. In the past two weeks, the remains of 23 people were recovered along southern Italian and Libyan coastlines, with many others still unaccounted for at sea.
The global total for 2025 represents a decrease from the 9,200 deaths recorded in 2024. IOM attributed the decline partly to reduced movement along some high-risk routes, particularly in the Americas. The agency reported 409 deaths linked to migration across the US–Mexico border and the Darién jungle in 2025, the lowest annual figure recorded in those areas since 2014.
