In a tragic year for migration, at least 10,457 people lost their lives attempting to reach Spain’s coasts irregularly in 2024, according to the migration NGO Caminando Fronteras.
This makes 2024 the deadliest year in Spain’s modern migration history, reaffirming the country as having one of the world’s most perilous migration routes.
Each day, an average of 30 migrants perished at sea, a significant increase from 18 people per day in 2023.
The vast majority of these deaths, 9,757, occurred on the Atlantic route from northwest Africa to the Canary Islands. Additionally, the NGO reported that 131 boats disappeared without a trace.
The report highlighted that the inaction of search and rescue services was a decisive factor in 69% of the tragedies.
One example cited involved a boat carrying around 150 people from Senegal. Caminando Fronteras received an alert that the boat was in desperate need of help and notified search and rescue services.
Spanish authorities located the vessel near the edge of the areas of responsibility for Spain, Morocco, and Mauritania. Initially, Spanish authorities indicated that Morocco would take action. However, Moroccan authorities later claimed they had no information.
Eventually, Mauritanian authorities took action, but it was not until 10 days later that the boat, carried by the current, reached Mauritania. Tragically, 26 people died during the journey.
The NGO also noted an increase in women traveling on these flimsy boats, particularly from Senegal, Gambia, and Mauritania. Many women described themselves as displaced, fleeing armed conflict or the impacts of climate change. Around 2,000 women and children died at sea this year, according to the report.
Many migrants, including women, also face racism, forced labor, violence, or other dire threats before even departing for Spain. Caminando Fronteras attributed this year’s spike in deaths to the failure to launch search and rescue missions, the effects of externalized border policies, and the criminalization of migrants.
According to Spain’s Interior Ministry, 57,738 migrants successfully reached Spain’s shores as of December 15, a 12% increase from 2023. The Canary Islands route, which accounted for 75% of arrivals, saw an even sharper increase.
