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At least 699 migrants died while fleeing their homes in January

January 2026 was the deadliest month on record for migrants — January 2026 was the deadliest month on record for migrants (AFP via Getty)

January 2026 recorded the highest number of migrant deaths for that month since records began, with at least 699 fatalities worldwide.
The Central Mediterranean route is the primary driver of this increase, experiencing hundreds of deaths due to dangerous conditions and flimsy boats.
As of mid-February 2026, this year marks the deadliest period in the Mediterranean since the UN's International Organisation for Migration (IOM) began collecting data in 2014.
Rights groups, including the International Rescue Committee, attribute the rising death toll to a “sharp and shameful decline in access to safe pathways” and increasingly restrictive policies.
A recent incident on 6 February saw 53 migrants, including two babies, reported dead or missing after a rubber boat capsized off the Libyan coast.

Deadliest January on record for migrants after 699 killed while fleeing homes — In full