Geneva, April 7 (SANA) – The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said Tuesday that more than 180 migrants are feared dead or missing following several shipwreck incidents in the Mediterranean Sea over the past ten days.
According to a report by the UN-affiliated organization cited by AFP, around 990 people have died in the Mediterranean since the beginning of this year, an increase of about 460 deaths compared with the same period in 2025, making it one of the deadliest starts to a year since data collection began in 2014.
The organization said that about 181 people were killed or went missing in five separate shipwrecks since March 28, the latest occurring last Sunday when more than 80 migrants disappeared after their boat capsized in the Mediterranean shortly after departing from the Libyan coast with around 120 people on board.
Commenting on the growing number of victims from irregular migration routes, IOM Director General Amy Pope said the tragedies demonstrate that too many people continue to risk their lives on dangerous journeys. She stressed that saving lives must remain the priority while calling for stronger coordinated efforts to stop human traffickers and expand safe and regular migration pathways.
The organization warned that the rising number of migrant deaths reflects the continued expansion of human trafficking and migrant smuggling networks, which exploit vulnerable people and expose them to violence, abuse, and life-threatening journeys.
Kh.A
