Global Missing Persons Cases Surge Nearly 70% in 5 Years – Red Cross

The number of people registered as missing by their families with the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement has surged by nearly 70% over the past five years, underscoring the enduring human cost of armed conflicts worldwide.

According to the Movement’s Family Links Network, approximately 284,400 people were reported missing in 2024, up from 169,500 in 2019. The figures highlight both the scale of the crisis and the ongoing challenges faced by families seeking answers about their loved ones.

Despite these grim numbers, there has been progress. In 2024 alone, more than 16,000 missing people were located, and over 7,000 were reunited with their families, thanks to the combined efforts of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), national societies, and family members themselves. The network also facilitated nearly 90,500 Red Cross messages and helped make 2.3 million phone calls, enabling families separated by conflict to stay in touch.

States Urged to Take Responsibility

The ICRC stressed that states and parties to armed conflicts bear the primary responsibility to prevent disappearances, protect civilians, and clarify the fate of the missing. How governments respond to missing persons cases, the organization notes, can shape peacebuilding, reconciliation, and the long-term healing of communities.

“When parties to conflict respect international humanitarian law, the risk of people going missing is reduced,” the ICRC said. International law, including the Fourth Geneva Convention, obliges warring parties to avoid separating families during evacuations, share information about detainees, and ensure deceased combatants are accounted for.

These measures, the ICRC says, not only uphold human dignity but also help prevent families from facing the agony of uncertainty when loved ones vanish in times of war.

Global Numbers Likely Higher

The ICRC cautioned that the 284,400 figure represents only the cases officially registered by the Family Links Network as of December 2024. The actual number of missing persons worldwide is believed to be much higher.

For families, each missing person represents an open wound. Until their fate is clarified, the ICRC continues to consider them missing, and its teams—alongside national Red Cross and Red Crescent societies—remain committed to supporting affected families for as long as it takes.