More than 10,000 migrants died this year trying to reach Spain by sea: Report
More than 10,000 migrants died while trying to reach Spain by sea this year, a report released by a Spanish migration rights group said on Thursday.
On average, that means 30 migrants died every day this year attempting to reach the country by boat, Caminando Fronteras (Walking Borders) said. Overall deaths rose 58 per cent compared to last year, the report added.
Tens of thousands of migrants left West Africa in 2024 for the Canary Islands, a Spanish archipelago close to the African coast that has increasingly been used as a stepping stone to continental Europe.
Caminando Fronteras said most of the 10,457 deaths recorded up until Dec. 15. took place along that crossing, the so-called Atlantic route — considered one of the world’s most dangerous.
The organization compiles its figures from families of migrants and official statistics of 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 leaving from Mauritania, which it said became the main departure point on the route to the Canary Islands.
In February, Spain pledged 210 million euros (around US$218 million) in aid to Mauritania to help it crack down on human smugglers and prevent boats from taking off.
Spain’s interior ministry says more than 57, 700 migrants reached Spain by boat until Dec. 15 this year, a roughly 12 per cent increase from the same period last year. The vast majority of them came through the Atlantic route.
Three migrants died Sunday in an attempt to cross the English Channel from France to Britain, a local mayor told AFP.
The deaths take this year's casualty toll from failed clandestine crossings to a confirmed 76.
The boat that was to take the migrants Sunday ran into trouble near Bleriot-Plage, a public beach in Sangatte close to the French Channel port of Calais, at around 6:00 am (0500 GMT), an emergency services source said.
Several people fell into the water trying to board the overcrowded vessel, French maritime services told AFP.
Around 50 people were given emergency help on the beach by government services or NGOs, with many in a state of hypothermia.
Some were taken to Sangatte's nautical base for treatment.
The French navy deployed a helicopter to help rescue the migrants.
"It never stops," said the mayor of Sangatte, Guy Allemand. "It's crossing after crossing, without any letup."
Seven people required intensive care, he said.
The vessel continued its journey towards the English shore, maritime services said.
Favourable winds since last weekend have encouraged migrants to attempt the crossing, with around 1,500 migrants making it in small boats to English waters between Wednesday and Saturday, according to British authorities.
The total number of migrants arriving in England in small boats since the start of the year is estimated at 36,000.
French authorities said that "several" such boats departed from the French coast early Sunday.
(AFP)
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