More than 3,000 refugees and other migrants died last year on the sea routes towards Europe.
A total of 1,924 deaths or missing people were reported on the routes from North Africa across the Mediterranean, and 1,153 between the West African coast and the Canary Islands, which belong to Spain, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported.
That was twice as many dead and missing as in the previous year, a UNHCR spokeswoman said in Geneva on Friday. So far this year, 478 people have died on the migration routes.
Countless people are likely to have already died fleeing their countries towards the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts, the spokeswoman said.
There they are exposed to risks of exploitation, abuse, enslavement and other serious human rights violations.
Instability, conflicts
"UNHCR warns that continued political instability and conflicts, deteriorating socioeconomic conditions as well as the impact of climate change may increase displacement and dangerous onward movements," it said.
The organization wants to protect refugees and other migrants along refugee routes from exploitation and people smugglers.
It is seeking donations of $163.5 million from governments for programmes in 25 countries.
