IOM Reports 8,000 Migrants Dead or Missing in 2025, Including Afghans

DID Press: International Organization for Migration has reported that nearly 8,000 migrants worldwide died or went missing in 2025 while attempting to reach safety or better living conditions, with Afghan migrants among those most affected on dangerous land and sea routes.

According to officials of the organization, the figures reflect the ongoing global migration crisis, particularly for people fleeing countries such as Afghanistan. Migration routes used by Afghan migrants remain among the most hazardous in the world.

IOM representatives in Geneva emphasized that while the 2025 toll is lower than the more than 9,000 deaths recorded in 2024, the decrease does not necessarily indicate improved conditions, but rather gaps in data collection and difficulties in verification.

The report also notes around 1,500 additional suspected deaths or disappearances that have not been officially confirmed due to lack of sufficient evidence.

The agency further warned that migration routes are becoming increasingly complex and dangerous, driven by conflicts, climate change, labor market pressures, and shifting migration policies.

Globally, the central Mediterranean route remains the deadliest migration corridor, while fatalities in the Bay of Bengal have increased for the third consecutive year.

The organization stressed that without coordinated international action, vulnerable migrants—particularly Afghans—will continue to face life-threatening risks on irregular migration routes.