According to AZERTAC, however, the real number of victims is likely much higher, as funding cuts have affected humanitarian access and tracing of the dead, the UN agency said.
The International Organization for Migration said legal migration routes are narrowing, resulting in more people falling into the hands of smugglers as Europe, the United States and other regions strengthen law enforcement measures and invest heavily in curbing migration.
"The continued loss of life along migration routes is a global failure that we cannot accept as the norm," IOM Director General Amy Pope said in a statement released Thursday.
Although the number of deaths on migration routes decreased to 7,667 in 2025 from almost 9,200 in 2024, as fewer people attempted dangerous illegal travel, this decrease reflects reduced access to information and lack of funding, which hinder efforts to track deaths, the IOM said.
