ALBAWABA - The UN's International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported Wednesday that at least 8,565 people died on migration routes around the world in 2023, making it the worst year since records began a decade ago.
"The 2023 death toll represents a tragic increase of 20 percent compared to 2022, highlighting the urgent need for action to prevent further loss of life," the IOM said in a statement. Last year's total surpassed the previous record set in 2016 when 8,084 people died while migrating.
According to the IOM, because safe and regulated migration options are restricted, hundreds of thousands of individuals attempt to move illegally and in dangerous situations every year.
Established in 2014 following two devastating shipwrecks off the coast of Lampedusa, Italy, the Missing Migrants Project is recognized as the sole indicator measuring the level of 'safety' of migration in the Sustainable Development Goals and the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration, according to the report by the IOM.
It has since documented over 63,000 cases worldwide, while the exact number is thought to be substantially higher due to data gathering issues, particularly in remote areas.
"As we mark the Missing Migrants Project's 10 years, we first remember all these lives lost. Every single one of them is a terrible human tragedy that reverberates through families and communities for years to come," said IOM deputy director-general Ugochi Daniels.
"These horrifying figures collected by the Missing Migrants Project are also a reminder that we must recommit to greater action that can ensure safe migration for all, so that 10 years from now, people won't have to risk their lives in search of a better one" Daniels continued.
The Mediterranean Sea route continues to be the deadliest route for migrants, with at least 3,129 deaths and disappearances registered last year.
Slightly more than half of the total migrant deaths in 2023 came as a result of drowning, with nine percent caused by vehicle accidents, and seven percent in violence.
