284,000 People Reported Missing Globally In 2024 – Red Cross Report

A new report by the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement has revealed that about 284,000 have been reported missing globally.

According to the report released on Friday, August 29, 2025, the 284,000 figure represents a 70% rise in the number missing persons around the world.

The devastating development, according to the report, is driven by escalating conflicts, mass migration, and a weakening adherence to the laws of war.

The report said in just five years, the missing persons figure jumped from 169,500 to the 284,000, saying the latest figure represents a fraction of the true scale of a crisis leaving hundreds of thousands of families in agonizing uncertainty.

The report released by the Red Cross’ Family Links Network, shows the number of persons reported missing by their families reached approximately 284,400 by the end of 2024, marking nearly 115,000 people since 2019.

Despite the increase in missing persons, the network reported some successes, facilitating the reunification of over 7,000 families in 2024 after finding more than 16,000 missing individuals.

According to the report, this was achieved through a vast effort that included transmitting nearly 90,500 Red Cross messages and enabling approximately 2.3 million phone calls for separated families.

The report blames the rise in missing person cases to intensifying conflicts and a “diminishing adherence to the rules of war.”

International Humanitarian Law (IHL) contains specific provisions designed to prevent people from going missing.

These include mandates to avoid separating families during evacuations, promptly sharing information about detainees, and accounting for the dead.

According to the report,
“When conflict parties adhere to international humanitarian law, the likelihood of individuals going missing decreases.”

Source:Africa Publicity