UN reports 9,000 migrant deaths in 2024, Asia records highest death toll

Nearly 9,000 people have lost their lives in 2024 while attempting to cross borders, the United Nations agency on migration said Friday. The death toll highlights the dangerous and often fatal journeys that millions of people undertake in search of safety and a better life.

According to the Organization for Migration (IOM), the official toll reached 8,938, but the exact number is likely higher, as many deaths go unreported.

“The rise of deaths is terrible in and of itself, but the fact that thousands remained unidentified each year is even more tragic,” IOM's Missing Migrants Project coordinator, Julia Black was quoted as saying by news agency Associated Press.

Asia recorded the highest number of deaths, with 2,788 migrant deaths, followed by the Mediterranean Sea with 2,452 and Africa with 2,242. The Caribbean also saw an alarming rise, with 341 deaths, and 233 fatalities reported in Europe.

The Darin Gap between Colombia and Panama also recorded a new high of 174 deaths, marking a disturbing record for the region.

The release of this report comes just days after IOM announced that due to significant US-led cuts in aid, many lifesaving programs around the world would be suspended, and hundreds of staff members would be laid off.

These cuts threaten to worsen the vulnerability of migrants worldwide, adding to the devastating toll of border crossings and migration attempts. The loss of support from such vital programs leaves millions of migrants without the help they desperately need.

(With Inputs From Associated Press)