IOM documents 1,433 migrant deaths in Americas last year

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

GENEVA (AA) - In the Americas, thousands of people perished while crossing deserts, rivers, and remote areas, as 1,433 migrant deaths were documented in 2022, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Wednesday.

The figure is the highest number since IOM's Missing Migrants Project under Global Data Institute (GDI) began in 2014.

"When people have access to safe and regular migration pathways, that increases the likelihood that they can contribute to economic prosperity at home and in their places of destination," said GDI Director Koko Warner. "Lack of such regular pathways often has tragic results and is a lost opportunity."

"The objective of this network is to create a knowledge and work community that shares updated and reliable data on missing migrants to contribute to evidence-based policy," Warner added.

Noting that the exact number of those who die while transiting through this region remains unknown, the IOM said the records compiled by the project indicate that between 2014 and 2022, at least 7,495 people lost their lives in the region.