More than 10,400 migrants have died or disappeared at sea trying to reach Spain in 2024, with the Canary Islands witnessing a record influx, according to a report by Spanish NGO Caminando Fronteras.
This equates to an average of 30 deaths per day between January and 15 December, the NGO said in a statement. It urged maritime authorities to address the presence of boats in distress.
The death toll is 58% higher than last year, when the NGO recorded 6,618 migrant deaths or disappearances on routes to Spain. The report highlights that 421 women and 1,538 children and adolescents have died.
“These figures reveal a profound failure in rescue and protection systems,” said Helena Maleno, coordinator of the report, calling the situation “an unacceptable tragedy.”
The deceased or missing migrants originated from at least 28 countries, mostly African, but also included individuals from Iraq and Pakistan. The majority of the victims (9,757) died during the Atlantic crossing between the northwest coast of Africa and the Canary Islands, according to Caminando Fronteras.
On this route, seven boats were rescued on Christmas Day, announced Spanish sea rescuers on X. The number of migrants entering Spain irregularly via the Canary Islands has surged in recent months, surpassing the annual record set in 2023 by late November, according to the Ministry of the Interior.
Ministry data shows that 60,216 migrants entered Spain illegally by land or sea from January to mid-December, up from 52,591 for the entire previous year, a 14.5% increase.
