At least 69 migrants died when a makeshift boat en route to Spain’s Canary Islands capsized off the coast of Morocco on Dec. 19, Malian authorities said, marking one of the deadliest incidents on a route that has claimed a record number of lives this year.
The boat was carrying approximately 80 people, according to Mali’s Ministry of Malians Abroad. Only 11 survivors were rescued, the ministry said in a statement on Thursday after gathering information to piece together the events. A crisis unit has been established to monitor the situation, the statement added.
The perilous Atlantic migration route from West Africa to Spain’s Canary Islands has seen a dramatic increase in traffic and fatalities in 2024. From January to November, 41,425 migrants arrived in the Canary Islands, surpassing last year’s record of 39,910, according to official data.
The route is frequently used by migrants from countries in West Africa, including Mali, Senegal, and Gambia, who are fleeing conflict, unemployment, and the worsening effects of climate change on agriculture in the Sahel region.
One migrant died among 300 who arrived on six boats on Friday on the island of El Hierro in the Canary Islands, according to the Red Cross.
The Atlantic crossing, which includes departure points in Senegal, Gambia, Mauritania, and Morocco, is widely regarded as the deadliest migration route in the world. According to Walking Borders, a migrant advocacy group, 9,757 migrants lost their lives in 2024 attempting to reach the Canary Islands from Africa’s Atlantic coast.
Across all routes to Spain, a record 10,457 people — nearly 30 per day — died this year, the group said in its annual report released this week. The route from Mauritania, heavily used this year by migrants from the Sahel region, accounted for 6,829 of the deaths.
Walking Borders attributed the surge in fatalities to a lack of coordinated rescue efforts, arbitrary practices during rescues, and the criminalization of migration. The group accused governments of prioritizing immigration control over the protection of human lives.
The tragedy underscores the ongoing humanitarian crisis faced by African migrants who risk their lives in pursuit of safety and opportunity in Europe.
