MADRID (AP) – More than 10,000 migrants have died trying to reach Spain by sea this year, a report released by a Spanish migrant rights group said Thursday.
On average, that means that 30 migrants died every day this year trying to reach the country by boat, said Caminando Fronteras (Walking Borders). Total deaths rose 58% compared to last year, the report said.
Tens of thousands of migrants left West Africa in 2024 for the Canary Islands, a Spanish archipelago off the coast of Africa that has been used more and more as a stepping stone to continental Europe.
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Caminando Fronteras said most of the 10,457 deaths recorded up to December 15 occurred on that crossing, the so-called Atlantic route – considered one of the most dangerous in the the world
The organization compiles its figures from migrant families and official statistics on those rescued. It included 1,538 children and 421 women among the dead. April and May were the deadliest months, the report said.
Caminando Fronteras also noted a “sharp increase” in 2024 in boats departing from Mauritania, which he said became the main departure point on the way to the Canary Islands.
In February, Spain pledged 210 million euros (about $218 million) in aid to Mauritania to help it overcome human smugglers and prevent boats from leaving.
The Spanish interior ministry says that more than 57,700 migrants arrived in Spain by boat until December 15 this year, an increase of about 12% from the same period last year. Most of them came via the Atlantic route.
___ Continue AP coverage of immigration issues at https://apnews.com/hub/migration
