SEA ARRIVALS TO EUROPE FALL SHARPLY AS MIGRANT DEATHS CONTINUE TO RISE

Sat 19 September 2026:

IOM says fewer people are reaching Europe by sea, but thousands continue to die or disappear on dangerous migration routes

The number of migrants and refugees reaching Europe by sea has fallen sharply this year, but the decline in arrivals has been accompanied by a continued high death toll on some of the world’s most dangerous maritime migration routes.

Data from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) shows that nearly 59,500 people had arrived in Europe by sea by September 15, 2026, while 2,298 migrants had died or gone missing during the year.

The latest figures underline the risks faced by people attempting crossings aboard overcrowded or unsuitable vessels, particularly from North Africa toward Europe.

“These figures tell two stories at once,” IOM Director General Amy Pope said Thursday.

“Fewer people are arriving by sea in Europe than at this point last year,” Pope said, noting that “people are still dying and going missing in alarming numbers trying to reach safety”.

“Behind every number is a human being, a family, a community,” she added, calling for “sustained international cooperation that saves lives, protects people on the move, combats trafficking and exploitation, and expands safe, regular pathways”.

“Nearly every death and disappearance at sea is preventable,” she said.

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Mediterranean Remains Particularly Deadly

The IOM says the Mediterranean and Atlantic crossings remain among “the deadliest maritime routes in the world”.

The Central Mediterranean route, which is the principal sea corridor from North Africa toward Italy, has recorded a substantial decline in arrivals, while fatalities have continued to rise.

Greece has also experienced fewer arrivals alongside a significant increase in deaths. Spain has recorded declines in both arrivals and overall casualties, although hundreds of people have still died or disappeared while attempting routes leading toward the country.

The IOM’s wider Europe database recorded 70,205 total arrivals, including 59,495 by sea, by September 15, compared with 158,003 total arrivals for all of 2025.

War and Economic Hardship Drive Migration

The IOM says people attempting these journeys leave their homes for a range of reasons, including conflict, persecution and economic hardship.

Surveys of migrants travelling along the Central Mediterranean route have found that economic difficulties were frequently cited as a major reason for leaving, followed by conflict and targeted violence.

The agency has also documented major displacement linked to conflicts in the Middle East, including people fleeing the war in Yemen as well as displacement from Lebanon and Syria.

True Death Toll Could Be Higher

The IOM warns that the recorded death toll is likely an underestimate because some boats disappear without witnesses or official records, leaving deaths and disappearances undocumented.

The agency is calling for greater international cooperation, expanded legal migration pathways and stronger measures to reduce the dangers faced by people attempting irregular sea crossings.

Europe Tightens Migration Policies

The decline in sea arrivals comes as several European governments have adopted tougher migration and border policies amid domestic political pressure over migration.

The European Union has also moved toward rules allowing certain migrants to be returned to countries outside the bloc.

The IOM has instead urged governments to expand safe and regular routes for migration while improving protections for people travelling along existing routes.

The latest figures come amid continuing political debate across Europe over how governments should respond to irregular migration, border security and the protection of people attempting dangerous crossings.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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