Faith Nyasuguta
A record 46,843 people arrived in Spain’s Canary Islands by sea in 2024, navigating the perilous Atlantic migration route, according to Spain’s interior ministry.
In total, Spain received 63,970 migrants via irregular routes last year, with the majority landing in the Atlantic archipelago. This marks an increase from 56,852 in 2023. Meanwhile, the European Union’s border agency, Frontex, reported a 40% overall decline in irregular crossings into the bloc from January to November 2024. However, crossings on the Atlantic route rose by 19%, primarily involving migrants from Mali, Senegal, and Morocco.
Experts cite prolonged conflicts in the Sahel, rising unemployment, and climate change’s devastating impact on farming communities as key drivers of migration. The Atlantic route, originating from Senegal, The Gambia, Mauritania, and Morocco, is considered the deadliest in the world.
Last week, tragedy struck as at least 69 migrants, including 25 from Mali, drowned when a boat heading to the Canary Islands capsized off the Moroccan coast.
Caminando Fronteras, a prominent NGO, reported that 10,457 migrants died or disappeared while attempting to reach Spain by sea between January 1 and December 5, 2024. This marks a 50% increase from 2023 and the highest toll since the group began recording fatalities in 2007. The report attributed the surge in deaths to “ramshackle boats, treacherous waters, and insufficient rescue resources.”
Migrant aid group Walking Borders accused European governments of prioritizing immigration control over human lives. The group stated, “A lack of action, arbitrary rescues, and the criminalisation of migrants contribute to the rise in deaths at sea.”
The harrowing risks have not deterred many. “Years of conflict, economic despair, and environmental crises leave people with little choice but to embark on these perilous journeys,” said Caminando Fronteras.
This increase in migration underscores the need for coordinated efforts to address its root causes and ensure safer migration paths.
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