Geneva, January 24 (EFE).- At least 321 migrants died or went missing on sea routes through the Caribbean in 2022, a record, according to data presented this Tuesday by the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
According to the IOM’s Missing Migrants Project, which monitors daily updates on these types of victims, this figure represents a sharp increase compared to 2021, when the number of deaths and disappearances on these routes reached 180.
Only half of those killed and disappeared in 2022 have been identified, the IOM said, explaining that of that group, 80 were from Haiti, 69 from Cuba, 56 from the Dominican Republic and 25 from Venezuela.
“The main cause of death was drowning caused by bad weather conditions that make navigation difficult and the use of boats that are in poor condition or not suitable for sailing in the open sea,” the UN organization said in a statement.
Most of the accidents occurred on routes in the United States, from the Dominican Republic to Puerto Rico, from Haiti to the Dominican Republic, and from Venezuela to various islands in the Caribbean.
Following the publication of these figures, IOM called on governments in the region to increase regional cooperation to improve the safety of these migrants.
“Actions to prevent migrant deaths must start with regular migration routes, protecting the right of families to stay together and responding to the needs of vulnerable migrants,” IOM said.
Source: El Diario
