Tragedy in the Atlantic. Dozens of immigrants dead
At least 50 people lost their lives while crossing by boat from Mauritania to the Canary Islands. Thirty-six migrants were rescued, but the tragic events serve as a reminder of the growing migration crisis in the region.
In brief
At least 50 people died during a boat crossing from Mauritania to the Canary Islands, and 36 migrants were rescued by the Moroccan authorities. The boat with 86 passengers, mainly from Pakistan, set sail on 2 January and drifted in the Atlantic for 13 days, with 44 of the victims coming from Pakistan, the organisation Caminando Fronteras reported. The Spanish Ministry of the Interior recorded more than 46 thousand arrivals in the Canary Islands in 2024 and almost 64 thousand irregular arrivals across the country, 12.5 percent more than in 2023.
A fatal journey across the Atlantic and tragic statistics
A boat carrying 86 passengers, mostly from Pakistan, set sail from the Mauritanian coast on January 2. After 13 days adrift in the Atlantic, Moroccan authorities managed to rescue 36 people. The organization Caminando Fronteras reported that among the 50 fatalities, 44 were from Pakistan.
Helena Maleno, head of Caminando Fronteras, called for an end to maritime tragedies.
- The Atlantic cannot continue to be Africa’s cemetery - she wrote on platform X.
The president of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, echoed her plea, urging Europe and Spain to take greater action in addressing the migration crisis.
According to Spain’s Ministry of the Interior, over 46,000 migrants have arrived in the Canary Islands in 2024—the highest number in history. Nationwide, nearly 64,000 unauthorized arrivals have been recorded, marking a 12.5% increase compared to 2023.
A Caminando Fronteras report revealed that more than 10,000 migrants have died attempting to reach Spain in 2024, making it the deadliest year on record for such crossings.
Source: PR24 / Gazeta Morska
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