Geneva, February 26 (QNA) -The International Organization for Migration (IOM) announced on Thursday that nearly 8,000 people died or went missing last year along irregular migration routes, calling for the expansion of safe and regular pathways and the protection of vulnerable individuals regardless of their status.

In a statement, the UN agency stated that the actual figure could be significantly higher, citing reduced funding that has affected humanitarian access and the tracking of migrant deaths. It warned that legal migration pathways are shrinking, pushing more people into the hands of smugglers.

Director General of IOM, Amy Pope said the continued loss of life along migration routes represents a global failure that cannot be normalized. She noted that when safe pathways are out of reach, people are compelled to undertake dangerous journeys.

Although reported deaths along migration routes fell to 7,667 in 2025 compared with around 9,200 in 2024 following a decline in the number of people attempting perilous irregular crossings, particularly across the Americas, Pope pointed out that the drop also reflects reduced access to information and funding shortages that have hampered efforts to document fatalities.

The Geneva-based organization is among several aid agencies affected by significant cuts in US funding, forcing it to scale back or close programs that it says will have severe consequences for migrants. (QNA)