World Fatalities of Migrants, Refugees Approach 7,500 in 2016 as Three-year Total Tops 18,501
The International Organization for Migration released preliminary figures on Friday, 6 January for all migrant or refugee deaths worldwide in 2016 – reporting an estimate of 7,495 men, women and children dead or missing across five continents. That total compares to 5,267 in 2014 and 5,740 last year. The three-year total: 18,501.
Much of the increase is due to the more advanced research methods used by IOM’s Missing Migrants Project, although many IOM officials believe migrant routes also grew more deadly in 2016, particularly along the Central Mediterranean route between North Africa and Europe, where nearly 4,600 migrants perished last year (see latest figures here).
KJ
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