A record number of at least 8,938 people died on migration routes worldwide in 2024, the UN announced Friday, stressing that the true toll is "likely much higher" because many deaths are not documented.

"The growing number of migrant deaths worldwide is an unacceptable and preventable tragedy," said Ugochi Daniels, Deputy Director General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), in a statement.

According to data collected by the UN agency, at least 8,938 people died on migratory routes around the world in 2024, "making it the deadliest year on record."

This is the fifth consecutive year that the IOM has recorded an increase, she said.

"The rising number of deaths in many parts of the world highlights why we need an international and holistic response to prevent further tragic loss of life," Daniels said.

According to the IOM, "2024 was the deadliest year on record in most parts of the world, including Asia (2,778 deaths recorded), Africa (2,242) and Europe (233)."

The 2,452 documented deaths in the Mediterranean Sea in 2024 are not a record, according to the IOM, which nevertheless emphasizes that this "high number demonstrates the need for adequate search and rescue systems as well as the need for safe and regular migration routes."

The IOM also explains that final data is not yet available for the Americas region, but current data indicates at least 1,233 deaths, including record numbers of 341 in the Caribbean and 174 in the Darien jungle, located between Panama and Colombia.

The IOM estimates that "the actual number of migrant deaths and disappearances is likely much higher, as many have not been documented due to a lack of official sources."

Furthermore, the identity and origin of the majority of migrants who have died or gone missing are unknown.

"The rise in deaths is terrible in itself, but the fact that thousands of people remain unidentified each year is even more tragic," commented Julia Black, who coordinates the IOM's Missing Migrants Project.

"Beyond the despair and unresolved questions faced by families who have lost loved ones, the lack of more comprehensive data on the risks migrants face is hampering life-saving responses," she added.