(VOVWORLD) -At least 8,565 people died on migration routes worldwide in 2023, making it the deadliest year since record-keeping began a decade ago, the UN's International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Wednesday.
 Illustrative Image (Photo: AFP/VNA) |
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 set in 2016, when 8,000 people died during migration.
The IOM said that because safe migration pathways are limited, hundreds of thousands of people attempt to migrate every year via unsafe routes.
The Mediterranean Ocean crossing continues to be the deadliest route for migrants, with at least 3,100 deaths and disappearances registered last year. Slightly more than half of the total migrant deaths in 2023 came as a result of drowning, with nine percent caused by vehicle accidents, and seven percent by violent acts.
Hans Leijtens, Executive Director of Frontex, the European border guard agency, elaborated on the main routes of migrants from Africa and the Middle East to Europe. He said “What we do we also see the huge increase in the sea route, more specifically not only from Central Mediterranean route but also the West African route and the East Mediterranean sea route. And those are of-course the most dangerous routes.”