Stay Ahead, Stay Global 
They left home with little more than hope. Over the past decade, more than 72,000 migrants have died or vanished along global migration routes, the United Nations' International Organization for Migration (IOM) reports.
Last year saw the highest toll on record: at least 8,938 lives lost seeking safety and opportunity abroad. “These numbers are a tragic reminder that people risk their lives when insecurity, lack of opportunity, and other pressures leave them with no safe or viable options at home,” says IOM chief Amy Pope.
Nearly three-quarters of these tragedies involved those fleeing conflict, disaster, or humanitarian crises. One in four came from crisis-affected nations—thousands of Afghans, the Rohingya, and Syrians documented in the Missing Migrants Report.
The Central Mediterranean remains the deadliest route, with almost 25,000 lost at sea over ten years. More than 12,000 disappeared after departing from war-torn Libya, and countless others perished crossing the Sahara Desert.
In Afghanistan, over 5,000 migrants died trying to escape crisis conditions, many since the Taliban retook power in 2021. And the report notes more than 3,100 members of the Rohingya minority died during perilous sea journeys or border crossings into Bangladesh.
Julia Black, coordinator of the IOM's Missing Migrants Project, warns that data gaps—especially in war zones and disaster areas—mean the true death toll is likely far higher.
Pope urges international investment to “create stability and opportunity within communities, so that migration is a choice, not a necessity.” When staying is no longer possible, she adds, nations must “enable safe, legal, and orderly pathways that protect lives.”
As the world confronts this human toll, global cooperation and data-driven policies will be crucial to transforming migration from a perilous gamble into a voluntary journey.
Reference(s):
UN says over 72,000 migrants dead, disappeared globally since 2014
cgtn.com
