During 2023, there were a total of 29,315 missing persons reported.
Numbers increasing compared to the previous year, when reports to the Police Force totaled 24,369.
Almost 75% of the reports concerned the disappearance of minors: in particular, out of a total of 21,951, 4,416 related to Italians and 17,535 to foreigners.
A figure which, compared to 2022 - when there were 4,128 reports for Italian minors and 13,002 for foreign minors - shows an increase especially in relation to the latter.
These are the numbers from the annual report drawn up by the Government's Special Commissioner for Missing Persons.
"The Interior Ministry - underlines the Minister of the Interior, Matteo Piantedosi - has always reserved its utmost commitment in dealing with this complex phenomenon which involves thousands of people every year, mostly minors and fragile subjects, with profound effects on the families who live the tragedy of the disappearance of loved ones. This is why we work every day to strengthen and make our intervention tools increasingly efficient. A constant effort for which I thank the Extraordinary Commissioner, the Prefectures and the numerous actors - Police Forces , Fire Brigade, Civil Protection, National Alpine Rescue and Speleologist Centre, voluntary associations - who daily provide their precious contribution to the system of searching for missing persons".
The reports for 19,646 cases refer to foreign citizens and 9,669 to Italians.
In 2022 there were, respectively, 15,152 and 9,217.
Numbers which also in this case indicate how the increase in complaints mainly involves foreign citizens.
On the discovery front, 14,159 people disappeared in 2023 and were traced during the same year.
A number to which must be added the 1,573 discoveries of subjects whose traces had been lost in previous years.
Furthermore, the statistics confirm that the first week after the missing person is reported to be fundamental for tracing the person, which confirms the importance of promptly reporting and initiating interventions as quickly as possible.
The 2023 report also introduced, for the first time, the study of "repeated disappearance reports", in which cases of people who disappear and are tracked down several times are analysed.
"The Office's activity - explains the Extraordinary Commissioner Maria Luisa Pellizzari - has once again been directed towards an interdisciplinary and multi-sectoral approach to deal with a phenomenon which proves to be very complex and which arouses concern and alarm in public opinion. The phenomenon , which is still growing, sees this office increasingly engaged in preventative initiatives to improve the efficiency of the research system with the collaboration of all institutional players and sector associations".
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