At least 8,565 people died on migration routes worldwide in 2023, making it the deadliest year since records began a decade ago, the UN’s International Organization for Migration said on Wednesday.
“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 reached in 2016, when 8,084 people died during migration.
The IOM said that because safe and regular migration pathways remain limited, hundreds of thousands of people attempt to migrate every year via irregular routes in unsafe conditions.
The Mediterranean ocean crossing 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…
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