GENEVA (AP) — Nearly 9,000 people have died last year attempting to cross borders, the UN agency for migration said Friday. The death toll set a new record for the fifth year in a row.
The International Organization for Migration recorded at least 8,938 migrant deaths in 2024. However, the real death toll is likely much higher given that many deaths go unreported or undocumented IOM said in a statement.
“The rise of deaths is terrible in and of itself, but the fact that thousands remained unidentified each year is even more tragic,” Julia Black, coordinator of IOM's Missing Migrants Projects said in the statement.
Asia was the region with the most reported fatalities with 2,788 migrant deaths, followed by the Mediterranean Sea with 2,452 and Africa with 2,242. IOM said there were also an “unprecedented 341 lives lost in the Caribbean," 233 in Europe and 174 in the Darién crossing between Colombia and Panama, a new record.
News of the record death toll comes only days after the agency announced it was suspending many “lifesaving” programs around the world and firing hundreds of employees due to U.S.-led aid cuts impacting millions of vulnerable migrants worldwide.
Follow AP’s global migration coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/migration
An official from the International Organization for Migration, IOM, talks to Nigerian migrants before being deported from Tripoli, Libya, Tuesday, March 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Yousef Murad)
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Madina Okot had 14 points and 13 rebounds before fouling out late and ninth-seeded Mississippi State beat California 59-46 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday.
Eniya Russell added 14 points for the Bulldogs (22-11), who are back in March Madness for the first time in two years. They lost in the national title game in 2017 and 2018.
Michelle Onyiah led the eighth-seeded Golden Bears with 17 points and 15 rebounds despite four fouls. Lulu Twidale added 13 points before fouling out in the final seconds.
Cal's only lead was by one point in the first quarter, when the Bears managed just five points. They recovered to play the Bulldogs evenly in the second but trailed 26-19 at halftime.
The Bears (25-9) capped their first season in the Atlantic Coast Conference by making the NCAAs for the first time since 2019, when current USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb was in charge.
The Bears got within six in the third quarter only to see the Bulldogs close on a 9-3 run to lead 41-29 going into the fourth. Four players scored in the spurt.
The Bears committed 24 turnovers and got outscored 32-18 in the paint and 15-0 in bench points.
Mississippi State will play JuJu Watkins and top-seeded USC in the second round on Monday at Galen Center. The Bulldogs last made the Sweet 16 in 2019.
AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here.
Mississippi State center Madina Okot (15) drives to the basket against California forward Marta Suarez (7) during the first half in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament Saturday, March 22, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)
