Arrivals to Europe have fallen sharply this year but deaths along the Central Mediterranean routes keep climbing, according to new data from the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
Nearly 60,000 migrants and refugees have arrived in Europe by sea so far in 2026. That's down 39 per cent from 98,040 during the same period last year. Yet, at least 2,292 people have died or gone missing attempting the crossing, up from 1,999 for the same period last year. The Mediterranean and Atlantic routes are the deadliest maritime routes in the world .
"These figures tell two stories at once," said Amy Pope, IOM Director General. "Fewer people are arriving by sea in Europe than at this point last year. But people are still dying and going missing in alarming numbers trying to reach safety. Nearly every death and disappearance at sea is preventable. The consequences continue long after. Human remains go unidentified, leaving families searching across borders for answers, often for years."
The steepest drop was on the Central Mediterranean route to Italy. Arrivals there fell 55 per cent, from 48,231 to 21,393. But deaths on that route rose too, from 844 to 996.
Greece recorded 20,428 arrivals, down from 25,427. Deaths on the Eastern Mediterranean route jumped from 284 to 417. Spain saw 16,794 arrivals across the Atlantic and Western Mediterranean routes, down from 22,855. Fatalities there remained high, at 879.
Interceptions continue at scale. Between January and mid-September, 17,067 migrants were intercepted at sea and returned to Libya, according to Libyan Coast Guard figures tracked by IOM.
"Behind every number is a human being, a family, a community," Pope said. "Deaths rising even as arrivals fall shows migrants are taking increasingly dangerous journeys. We need sustained international cooperation that saves lives, protects people on the move, combats trafficking and exploitation, and expands safe, regular pathways." Sustained efforts are also needed to clarify the fate and whereabouts of missing migrants, and support affected families, in line with the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration.
IOM continues working with governments, partners and communities across countries of origin, transit and destination. The focus: stronger protection, voluntary return and reintegration support, expanded regular pathways, and reduced risk along major migration routes. Recent talks between IOM and European partners have underscored the need for a comprehensive, region-wide approach.
The figures come from IOM's Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) and Missing Migrants Project, covering verified incidents and arrivals through 15 September 2026. Because many shipwrecks and disappearances go unrecorded, the true death toll is likely higher.
