The migrant crisis is one of the most ongoing global and humanitarian crises of this century. Thousands of migrants risk their lives crossing waters and harsh landscapes in search of a better future. Unfortunately, not all of them reach their destination. At times, their bodies are recovered, but sadly, many remain lost at sea, in deserts, or in remote wastelands. Tragically, their identities often remain unknown.
Migrant deaths are often treated as events requiring a Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) response. DVI is the process of identifying victims of mass casualty incidents such as natural disasters, plane crashes, terrorist attacks, or industrial accidents. DVI protocols were developed in 1984 by INTERPOL to set guidelines and standards and lay the ground for international efforts to speed up the recovery and identification of victims, enabling families to begin the healing process.
DVI involves forensic techniques to establish the identity of deceased individuals and is often challenging when related to deceased migrants due to the postmortem conditions and availability of antemortem information. Consequently, many families may never receive confirmation of their relatives’ deaths, and only a small fraction of migrants who perish at sea are ever formally discovered and/or identified.
Exponential increases in missing migrants
The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) estimates that more than 30,000 people have died making Mediterranean crossings alone since 2014, and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) states that more than 4,000 fatalities have been recorded annually on migratory routes worldwide since 2014.
Identifying each individual is a moral duty with legal and familial importance, but this challenge becomes particularly complex in mass fatality events.
Current migrant disaster victim identification processes seem insufficient and underfunded, with only about 25% ever being formally identified. This is, in part, due to poor communication between countries of origin and arrival and key stakeholders, including policymakers, forensic experts, humanitarian organisations, families, and government agencies. In addition, advanced technologies have yet to reach their full potential in this area.
New forensic techniques needed
Many legally accepted primary identification methods, such as DNA analysis, fingerprints, and dental records, are often impractical or impossible due to legal barriers and the socioeconomic conditions of migrants’ home countries, where access to dental care, fingerprint databases, facial recognition, and family records may be limited. Additionally, factors like water damage, rapid decomposition, and delayed recovery of bodies further complicate identification efforts.
Introducing Migrant Disaster Victim Identification COST Action
Migrant Disaster Victim Identification (MDVI) presents unique challenges distinct from standard DVI cases. Launched in 2023, Migrant Disaster Victim Identification COST Action (MDVI) brings together stakeholders from across Europe to address the growing humanitarian crisis of unidentified deceased migrants in Europe. Hundreds of institutions spread across 35 countries representing 198 members will drive the development, standardisation, and validation of international processes, resources, and methodologies, including the use of innovative craniofacial identification techniques, drones, and artificial intelligence.
The network intends to gather and share existing knowledge about migrant deaths in Europe, which covers the major migration routes along the coasts and the Mediterranean and western Balkans migration routes.
“This is a global humanitarian crisis. The Action aims to enhance Migrant DVI through innovation, research collaboration, and the creation of international policies and standards. We aim to build capacity and resilience for identification professionals across Europe, improve migrant DVI resources, and create communication networks that connect countries of origin with countries of arrival.”
Prof Caroline Wilkinson, MDVI Action Chair
The MDVI network is establishing a collaborative scientific and technological research agenda, working closely with innovators and SMEs to maximize the potential of emerging technologies, breakthrough innovations, and entrepreneurship.
Mass disasters pose distinct challenges for identification practitioners, particularly when victims come from developing countries where identification records are lacking, or DNA retrieval is difficult. These challenges become even more complex in migrant DVI cases, where unidentified individuals often originate from regions affected by conflict, poverty, or social and political crises. This research network will contribute valuable new knowledge to support international practitioners in the field of human identification.
The use of advanced, trustworthy, artificial intelligence techniques will mark a significant breakthrough in developing more accurate and explainable decision-support systems for forensic practitioners. Additionally, the network will assist stakeholders by providing European-standardised protocols tailored to different types of evidence and scenarios.
Providing closure to thousands of people with missing family members will support cultural and religious observance, grieving, and legal matters. This also helps fulfill the European community’s human rights obligations and strengthens social cohesion and global cooperation.
Additional information
View the Action webpage
View the network website: https://migrant-dvi.eu/
Follow MDVI on social media: LinkedIn
Read the Guardian article ‘The Nameless Dead: Scientists Hunt for Identities of Thousands Who Tried to Reach Europe’