Migrant arrivals in Europe decline as deaths among them rise

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) announced on Thursday a significant decline in the number of migrants and refugees arriving in Europe since the beginning of the year, while noting that deaths on maritime routes continue to rise.

According to the organization, approximately 60,000 migrants and refugees arrived in Europe by sea since the start of the year, representing a 39 percent decrease compared to 98,040 individuals during the same period last year.

In contrast, at least 2,292 people died or went missing, compared to 1,999 during the same period in 2025, on routes in the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, which are among the most dangerous in the world.

Regarding arrivals in Europe, the largest decline was recorded on the Central Mediterranean route to Italy, where numbers fell by 55 percent.

At this stage, the IOM does not link the overall decrease in arrivals to recent tightening of immigration policies in some European countries.

Concerning the number of deaths, the Eastern Mediterranean route, specifically leading to Greece, witnessed the largest increase, with fatalities rising from 284 to 417.

These figures include verified incidents and arrivals up to September 15, but “given that a significant number of shipwrecks and disappearances go unreported, the actual number of deaths is likely higher,” according to the IOM.