This year, more than 10,000 migrants died trying to reach Spain by sea: Report – Milli

More than 10,000 migrants have died trying to reach Spain by sea this year, according to a report released Thursday by a Spanish migration rights group.

Caminando Fronteras (Walking Borders) said this means that on average 30 migrants have died every day this year trying to reach the country by boat. The report added that the total number of deaths increased by 58 percent compared to last year.

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 to December 15 occurred on the so-called Atlantic route, considered one of the most dangerous roads in the world.

1:44 a.m
Migrant shipwreck in Italy: More than 100 dead as search continues

The organization draws its figures from migrant families and official statistics of those rescued. Among the dead are 1538 children and 421 women. April and May were the deadliest months, the report said.

Caminando Fronteras also noted a “sharp increase” in 2024 of boats departing from Mauritania, which it said is a key departure point on the route to the Canary Islands.

Get the latest National news

Sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you as they happen, for news affecting Canada and around the world.

In February, Spain pledged 210 million euros (about $218 million) in aid to Mauritania to fight people smugglers and prevent boats from taking off.

Spain’s Interior Ministry says more than 57,700 migrants have arrived in Spain by boat this year as of December 15, an increase of about 12 percent compared to the same period last year. Most of them came via the Atlantic route.