Berlin/Geneva, 29 April 2025 – A new report from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) reveals that most people who die while migrating are not taking dangerous journeys purely out of choice, but out of desperation – fleeing insecurity, conflict, disaster, and other humanitarian crises.
Since 2014, more than 52,000 people have died while trying to escape crisis-affected* countries. That’s nearly three-quarters (72%) of all migrant deaths recorded globally during this period. These include over 39,000 people who died within crisis zones, often while trapped in unsafe conditions, and more than 13,500 who died while trying to flee conflict or disaster.
“These numbers are a tragic reminder that people risk their lives when insecurity, lack of opportunity, and other pressures leave them with no safe or viable options at home,” said IOM Director General Amy Pope. “We must invest to create stability and opportunity within communities, so that migration is a choice, not a necessity. And when staying is no longer possible, we must work together to enable safe, legal, and orderly pathways that protect lives.”
Crisis Zones: The Deadliest Places for Migrants
More than half (54%) of all recorded migrant deaths since 2014 occurred in or near countries affected by conflict or disaster. For example:
- In Afghanistan, over 5,000 people have died in transit, including thousands who perished while fleeing the country following the 2021 political upheaval.
- Among the Rohingya people from Myanmar, more than 3,100 people have died – many in shipwrecks or while crossing into Bangladesh.
- The Central Mediterranean remains the deadliest single migration route worldwide, with nearly 25,000 people lost at sea.
A Call for Stronger Global Cooperation
Despite the scale of the crisis, migrants are often overlooked in humanitarian planning. Needs assessments and aid appeals frequently fail to include targeted efforts to protect those on the move – even though nearly one in four missing migrants came from a crisis-affected country.
“Too often, migrants fall through the cracks,” said Julia Black, coordinator of IOM’s Missing Migrants Project and the report’s author. “And due to data gaps – especially in war zones and disaster areas – the true death toll is likely far higher than what we’ve recorded.”
IOM is urging States and humanitarian partners to work together to ensure migrants are not excluded from crisis responses. This means expanding legal pathways, improving access to aid and healthcare, and investing in data systems that can better track and protect those at risk.
Note to Editor:
* For the purposes of this report, “countries in crisis” refers to 40 countries with an active Crisis Response Plan (CRP) or Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) listed by IOM and/or UN OCHA as of December 2024.
Click here to access the Missing Migrants Project 2024 annual report.
The analysis in this press release is based on data available as of 1 March 2025. For the latest figures, click here.
IOM's Missing Migrants Project is currently maintained with financial support of the governments of Switzerland, Norway, Denmark and the European Union. The preparation of this year’s report was co-funded through IOM’s Flexible Funding Mechanism (FFM), enabling the use of data and evidence to save lives and protect people affected by humanitarian crises. IOM appreciates the generous unearmarked and softly earmarked voluntary contributions from our donors to the Flexible Funding Mechanism, which made this initiative possible.
For more information, please contact IOM Media Centre