Over 180 Migrants Dead or Missing in Mediterranean Since Late March, IOM Says
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported Tuesday that more than 180 migrants have died or are unaccounted for after attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea since March 28.
The IOM said in a statement that more than 180 people are missing or dead following the latest shipwrecks in the Mediterranean, pushing the total 2026 death toll to nearly 1,000.
The UN agency confirmed that at least 990 deaths have been recorded across the Mediterranean so far this year, one of the highest figures for this period since 2014.
IOM Director General Amy Pope said the incidents were a renewed reminder that far too many people are still risking their lives on dangerous routes.
She called for saving lives to remain the top priority, while also urging stronger, better-coordinated action to stop traffickers and smugglers from preying on vulnerable migrants, and to expand safe, legal pathways so people are not driven to make deadly crossings.
