Migrant sea crossings to Europe drop sharply as deaths rise: IOM
More than 2,200 migrants died or vanished at sea in 2026, despite declining crossings into Europe, says IOM.
The number of migrants crossing to Europe via sea routes has dropped sharply since January this year, as the journey is becoming more dangerous, according to a new report by the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
The agency said about 60,000 migrants and refugees reached Europe by boat so far in 2026, down 39 percent from roughly 98,000 over the same period last year.
The new report shows that, despite the decline, at least 2,292 people have died or gone missing attempting the crossing, up from 1,999 over the same period last year, many on overcrowded, ill-suited boats departing Libya’s coast.
Greece recorded a smaller drop in arrivals alongside a sharp rise in deaths, from 284 to 417. Spain saw both arrivals and its overall numbers fall, though 879 people died or went missing on routes leading there.