Published on: 2026-08-13
Source: United Nations – Объединенные Нации –
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August 12, 2026 Refugees and migrants
The number of migrant deaths on the central and eastern Mediterranean routes sharply increased in the first four months of 2026 – despite the overall significant decrease in the number of migrants arriving in Europe. This was reported on Wednesday by the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
According to IOM, harsh weather, conflicts, economic pressure, and changes in migration policies have significantly altered migration routes and the nature of movements in various regions of the world.
In the first four months of this year, 821 people died or went missing on the central Mediterranean route – this number increased by 111 percent compared to the same period in 2025. At the same time, the number of arrivals fell by 46 percent – to 8,577 people. More than half of all deaths – 430 – occurred in January, when the region was affected by cyclone “Harry.”
On the Eastern Mediterranean route, 244 deaths were recorded in the first four months of this year, which is 259 percent more than in the same period last year. Many of the tragedies on this route occurred near the island of Crete.
“Fewer arrivals does not mean safer journeys,” said IOM Deputy Director General Ugocchi Daniels. “Behind every such number is a family waiting for news that will never come. As routes become longer and more dangerous, saving lives at sea and on land remains a shared responsibility — and a task no single country can solve alone.”
On the West African Atlantic route, the number of arrivals in Spain has decreased by 78 percent, down to 2,276 people – this is the sharpest decline among all routes to Europe. Departure points continue to shift further south along the West African coast, lengthening the sea route and increasing risks.
However, the decline is not observed everywhere. On the western Mediterranean route to Spain, arrivals increased by 66 percent, to 5,647 people – mainly due to a threefold increase in land crossings into Ceuta and Melilla. On the “Horn of Africa – Yemen” route, arrivals increased by nine percent, reaching 70,200 people, which corresponds to seasonal trends. In Central America, northward movement through the Darién mountain region in Panama has almost stopped – only 135 crossings were recorded.
Hostilities in the Middle East have also affected mobility in the region and beyond. After the escalation that began in late February, large-scale population movements were recorded in Lebanon. In March and April, there was a significant increase in returns across the border to the Syrian Arab Republic.
“Attention is often focused on a few routes, but nearly half of the 304 million international migrants live within their own region, moving for work, family reunification, education, and safety,” Daniels noted.
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