Nearly 100 migrants have died or disappeared in the central and eastern Mediterranean Sea since the beginning of 2024, more than double the toll recorded last year during the same period, according to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).
The UN agency disclosed this on Monday during an Italy-Africa Conference in Rome. The conference was attended by more than two dozen African leaders and European Union officials to discuss economic ties and ways to curb undocumented migration to Europe.
“The latest record of deaths and disappearances is a stark reminder that a comprehensive approach that includes safe and regular pathways is the only solution that will benefit migrants and states alike,” IOM Director General, Amy Pope, said.
IOM’s Missing Migrants Project found that 3,041 migrants were dead or went missing in the Mediterranean last year, a significant increase over the 2,411 toll in 2022.
Earlier this month, some 40 Tunisian migrants went missing after setting off in a boat toward the Italian coast. Tunisia has replaced Libya as a main departure point for Mediterranean crossings for people fleeing poverty and conflict.
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