Sri Lanka, March 22 -- Nearly 9,000 people died last year attempting to cross borders, according to new statistics released by the UN agency for migration.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) recorded at least 8,938 migrant deaths in 2024, setting a record for the fifth year in a row.
However, the agency says the real death toll is likely much higher given that many deaths go unreported or undocumented.
"The rise of deaths is terrible in and of itself, but the fact that thousands remained unidentified each year is even more tragic," Julia Black, coordinator of IOM's Missing Migrants Projects said in the statement.
"Beyond the despair and unresolved questions faced by families who have lost a loved one, the lack of more co...