The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported nearly 9,000 migrant fatalities globally in 2024, marking a tragic record. Deaths have more than doubled since 2020, with Asia being the most deadly region. Many deaths remain undocumented, underscoring a humanitarian crisis. IOM officials advocate for a holistic international strategy to address these issues. The rise in fatalities coincides with significant cuts to lifesaving programs due to U.S. aid reductions, further endangering vulnerable migrants and refugees and increasing desperation in their circumstances.
The rise of deaths is terrible in and of itself, but the fact that thousands remained unidentified each year is even more tragic, Julia Black, coordinator of the IOM's Missing Migrants Project, said in the statement.
The increase in deaths across so many regions in the world shows why we need an international, holistic response that can prevent further tragic loss of life, Ugochi Daniels stated.
Final data are not yet in for the Americas, but at least 1,233 deaths (including 341 in the Caribbean) occurred in 2024.
According to the IOM, migrants are all people who leave their place of residence for any reason, for any length of time, whether voluntarily or involuntarily.
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