NEWS DESK: Nearly 8,000 people died on migration routes across the globe in 2025, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The UN agency reported on Tuesday that many deaths occurred in invisible shipwrecks on sea routes to Europe.
Maria Moita, a director at the IOM, described the figures as a sign of collective failure. Since 2014, more than 82,000 people have died while migrating. While sea travel is the most dangerous, many also die from car accidents, extreme cold, or exposure in mountains and forests.
Stricter border controls often push migrants onto more dangerous paths. These new routes are often further away from help and expose travelers to harsher conditions. Even though fewer migrants arrived in some regions in 2025, the high death toll suggests that the risks remain very high.
The IOM recorded 7,904 deaths in 2025. This is slightly lower than the 9,197 deaths recorded in 2024. However, the agency noted that at least 1,500 cases could not be verified due to cuts in development aid.
More than 40 percent of all deaths happened on sea routes to Europe. The Mediterranean route to Italy remains the deadliest, with at least 1,330 recorded deaths. The Atlantic route to the Canary Islands followed with around 1,200 deaths.
Some organizations believe the actual numbers are much higher. For example, Walking Borders estimated over 3,000 deaths at Spanish borders alone. The IOM also noted that Bangladeshi nationals became the largest group of arrivals in Europe during 2025.
IOM Director General Amy Pope stated that behind these numbers are real people and families left waiting for news. The agency estimates that more than 340,000 family members have been affected by these losses since 2014. Source: International Organization for Migration.
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