Overview

• More than 63,000 migrants have died or gone missing on global migration routes since 2014, with drowning as the leading cause of death.
• 2023 was the deadliest year recorded, with over 8,500 deaths, nearly 60% of which were due to drowning.
• The Mediterranean Sea remains the most lethal route, with over 27,000 deaths, while 'invisible shipwrecks' and unreported deaths in the Sahara Desert exacerbate the crisis.
• Despite efforts, the majority of victims remain unidentified, posing a crisis of 'ambiguous loss' for families.
• The rise of anti-immigration sentiment and policies in Europe has led to reduced search and rescue missions, increasing the dangers for migrants.