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As many as 50 are feared dead in the sinking of a boat making a 13-day journey from West Africa to the Canary Islands, where the travelers encountered serious challenges. The boat left the Mauritanian port on January 2, with 86 people aboard, and reportedly faced significant difficulties in its dangerous Atlantic migration route. The fate of those aboard is reportedly one of rescue; only a small number survived the ordeal.
The boat set off from Mauritania with 86 people on board, most of whom were from Pakistan. The humanitarian organization Caminando Fronteras (Walking Borders) reported the distress, saying that the boat’s situation worsened as it traversed the Atlantic, which led to a distress call.
The organization informed Moroccan and Spanish authorities, who responded to the distress call. Moroccan rescue teams managed to rescue 36 people, while the fate of the rest remained unknown. In a tragic incident, 50 people on board, including 44 Pakistanis, are believed to have drowned as they were left stranded in the sea for over a week without proper rescue assistance.
The Caminando Fronteras CEO, Helena Maleno, came out through the social media platforms to break the tragic news: “Fifty people have died on a boat headed for the Canary Islands, 44 of whom were Pakistani. They spent 13 agonizing days at sea without rescuers reaching them.”
Unsolved Migration Crisis
It again highlights the current risks migrants have to take as they attempt to reach Europe by the Canary Islands route, which is becoming increasingly perilous. A dramatic rise has been recorded at the Spanish archipelago on the number of migrants attempting the Atlantic route. This trend continues into 2024.
Regional president of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, expressed his condolences and reiterated his calls for action from both Spain and the European Union. He wrote on social media, “We can’t just be witnesses to all this. The state and Europe need to act. The Atlantic can’t continue being the graveyard of Africa. We can’t keep turning our back on the humanitarian drama.”
In light of the increasing tragedy, Caminando Fronteras has published its own report showing the outrageous number of fatalities associated with this migrant path. The NGO reports that at least 10,457 people died or were missing while trying to reach Spain by sea between January 1 and December 5, 2024.
This is 50% higher than the same period last year and the deadliest year on record since the NGO started monitoring these deaths in 2007.
These have been some of the factors contributing to the rise in deaths. The use of poorly constructed boats, dangerous sea conditions, and lack of resources by the rescuers are some of the reasons why people have died. Inadequate search and rescue operations worsen the problem, as can be seen from the failed attempt to save the 50 passengers on the doomed boat.
Migration On Rise
The crisis of migration in the Canary Islands keeps worsening, as more people risk their lives to cross the Atlantic. In 2024, a total of 46,843 people reached the Canary Islands, marking an increase from 39,910 in 2023.
A recent report from Frontex, the European Union’s border and coastguard agency, revealed that while irregular crossings on the central Mediterranean route decreased by 59% in 2024, the number of crossings to the Canary Islands rose by 18%. The increase has been mainly driven by departures from Mauritania, despite a decline in migration from other parts of West Africa, including Tunisia and Libya.
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