Nearly 8,000 people lost their lives or went missing while attempting to migrate across the world in 2025, underlining the continuing risks faced by those undertaking irregular and often perilous journeys, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). The United Nations agency said the figure of 7,904 deaths and disappearances, though slightly lower than the record high recorded a year earlier, still reflects a persistent global failure to prevent such tragedies.
The IOM noted that while the 2025 toll marked a decline from the 9,197 deaths documented in 2024, the drop does not necessarily indicate improved safety. Instead, it may partly be attributed to gaps in data collection, as around 1,500 suspected cases could not be verified due to funding constraints and reduced monitoring capacity.
Sea routes to Europe remained the deadliest, accounting for more than 40% of all recorded fatalities and disappearances. Many of these incidents involved what the agency described as “invisible shipwrecks,” where entire boats vanish without leaving behind traceable evidence, making it difficult to determine the exact number of victims.
The report also highlighted regional variations in migration risks. The West African route towards Europe recorded around 1,200 deaths, while Asia witnessed a record number of fatalities. Among the most vulnerable were Rohingya refugees fleeing violence in Myanmar or escaping dire conditions in overcrowded camps in Bangladesh.
Despite a decline in migrant arrivals in some regions, the IOM stressed that migration pressures have not eased. Instead, routes have shifted in response to factors such as conflict, climate change, economic instability and evolving government policies. These shifts have often forced migrants to take longer, more fragmented and increasingly hazardous journeys.
Globally, the scale of the crisis extends beyond those who have died or gone missing. Since 2014, more than 80,000 migrants are estimated to have perished or disappeared, with at least 340,000 family members directly affected by the loss or uncertainty surrounding their loved ones.
Officials from the agency emphasised that the figures represent only a minimum estimate, suggesting that the actual toll could be significantly higher due to underreporting and lack of reliable data in several regions. They called for stronger international cooperation and political will to create safer migration pathways and prevent further loss of life.
Highlighting the human cost behind the statistics, the IOM reiterated that migrants continue to undertake dangerous journeys in the absence of safe and legal alternatives, leaving families across the world waiting indefinitely for news that may never come.
