Almost 100 people have died or disappeared on the Central and Eastern Mediterranean routes since the start of the year, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Monday.
"Even one death is one too many. The latest record of deaths and disappearances is a stark reminder that a comprehensive approach that includes safe and regular pathways-a key strategic pillar for IOM-is the only solution that will benefit migrants and states alike," said Amy Pope, the director general of IOM.
"The toll is over twice as high as the figure for the same period of 2023, the deadliest year for migrants at sea in Europe since 2016," an IOM statement said.
The statement noted that Pope is attending the Italy-Africa Conference in Rome to discuss solutions aimed at protecting migrants at a time when the number of people presumed to be dead or missing is on the rise.
According to the IOM's Missing Migrants Project, the annual number of migrant deaths and disappearances in all the Mediterranean jumped from 2,048 in 2021, to 2,411 in 2022, and to 3,041 by the end of 2023.
