Fewer migrants are reaching Europe by sea but more people are dying, IOM warns

The U.N. migration agency reports that significantly fewer migrants are reaching Europe by sea this year, but more are dying on increasingly dangerous journeysSignificantly fewer migrants are reaching Europe by sea this year, and yet more are dying as people take increasingly dangerous journeys to reach the continent, the U.N. migration agency warned Thursday. Nearly 60,000 migrants and refugees arrived on European shores in 2026 by Sept. 15, down nearly 40% compared to the same period last year, the International Organization for Migration said. But nearly 2,300 people died or went missing trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea or the Atlantic Ocean in 2026, compared to nearly 2,000 in the same period of 2025. “Nearly every death and disappearance at sea is preventable,” said IOM's Director General Amy Pope, who called on authorities to step up international cooperation to save lives, combat trafficking and provide alternative legal migration pathways. “Behind every number is a human being, a family, a community.”The Central Mediterranean route to Italy saw the sharpest fall, from more than 48,000 arrivals last year to more than 21,000 this year. Yet 996 people died so far this yea...