Migrant deaths and disappearances have soared in the Mediterranean in 2026, even as the number of irregular arrivals to Europe has fallen dramatically, according to a new report by the International Organization for Migration ( IOM ) that shows fewer crossings do not mean safer journeys.
Between January and April 2026, 821 people died or went missing on the Central Mediterranean Route , a 111% increase compared to the same period in 2025, while arrivals fell by 46% to 8577. More than half of those deaths (430) were recorded in January alone, when Cyclone Harry hit the region.
On the Eastern Mediterranean Route, the tragedy is even more stark: 244 deaths , an increase of 259%, with many shipwrecks occurring near Crete.
“Behind each of these numbers is a family waiting for news that never comes,” said IOM Deputy Director General Ugochi Daniels. “As journeys become longer and more dangerous, saving lives at sea and on land remains a shared responsibility that no country can shoulder alone.”
The IOM report breaks down routes with divergent trends:
- West African Atlantic RouteArrivals in Spain fell by 78% (2276), but departure points have shifted further south, lengthening the journey and increasing the risks.
- Western Mediterranean RouteArrivals to Spain increased by 66% (5647), driven by a threefold increase in land crossings to Ceuta and Melilla
- Eastern Route of the Horn of AfricaArrivals to Yemen increased by 9% (70.200), in line with seasonal patterns
- The Darien (Panama)The northward movement has virtually stopped, with only 135 transits recorded.
The hostilities in the Middle East have also reshaped mobility patterns. The escalation that began in late February triggered mass displacements in Lebanon and increased cross-border returns to Syria during March and April.
“Attention is often focused on a handful of routes, but nearly half of the world’s 304 million international migrants live within their own region,” Daniels added. “Good data is no substitute for solutions, but there are no solutions without it.”
The Global Overview of Migration Routes (January-April 2026) compiles data from the Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM), the IOM Missing Migrants Project and partner governments.