Since 2000, more than 60,000 deaths and disappearances during migration have been recorded worldwide. These numbers not only highlight the issue of migrant fatalities and the consequences for families searching for lost loved ones, but can also be used to illustrate the risks associated with irregular migration and encourage the design of policies to ensure safe migration. However, data on migrant fatalities are highly scattered and incomplete, and figures on missing migrants are therefore best understood as a minimum estimate of the true number of people who die or go missing along migratory routes worldwide. This Data Bulletin explains the data challenges and gaps that need to be addressed in order to fully implement Objective 8 of the  Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration.