Severe weather, conflict, economic pressures, and changing policies have drastically reshaped migration journeys across multiple regions in the first four months of 2026, leading to a significant increase in migrant deaths, according to data released on Wednesday, August 12th, by the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

The IOM's latest route-based data highlights a disturbing spike in fatalities among migrants seeking better lives, spanning from the Bay of Bengal to the Atlantic Ocean. Many migrants fall victim to traffickers or scams during these perilous journeys.

IOM Deputy Director General Ugochi Daniels emphasized the complexity of migration patterns, noting, “Attention tends to settle on a handful of routes, but nearly half of the world’s 304 million international migrants live within their own region, moving for work, family, education and safety.” Daniels stressed that while good data alone cannot solve the crisis, it is essential for informed decision-making, adding, “Saving lives remains a shared responsibility no single country can meet alone. When everyone is working from the same clear picture, better decisions follow.”

The central Mediterranean route saw a 111 percent increase in deaths or disappearances, with 821 people dying or going missing, even as arrivals dropped 46 percent to 8,577.

UN independent experts have called for urgent action to support nearly 1.2 million Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh after reports emerged that two boats carrying over 500 people capsized off Myanmar’s coast following departure from Rakhine state in late June. According to UN agencies, over 6,500 Rohingya undertook dangerous sea journeys in 2025, resulting in an estimated 900 deaths, about 66 percent of whom were women and children.

Experts appointed by the UN Human Rights Council reported that one in seven migrants went missing or died in the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal, marking it as the deadliest route worldwide for refugee and migrant sea journeys.

Sources