Number of migrants who died trying to reach Spain more than doubles in a year

Research by charity group reveals at least 6,618 people died or disappeared while making the journey

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  A boat carrying 156 migrants arrives at La Restinga seaport on the Canary Island of El Hierro, on December 15, after their rescue by the Spanish-based Salvamar Adhara Salvamento Maritimo off the island. AFP

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  A member of the Red Cross checks migrants on La Restinga dock on October 26. AFP

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  Migrants arrive at La Restinga in Spain's Canary Islands on January 3. EPA

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  Migrants at Arguineguin port, in Gran Canaria, Canary islands, on January 2. EPA

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  Migrants are fed and wrapped in thermal blankets after arriving at La Garita beach in Arrieta, on the Canary Island of Lanzarote, on December 27. EPA

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  Two migrants rest on a beach after arriving at the coast of Teguise in Lanzarote island on December 26. EPA

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  Migrants covered in blankets arrive at the port in Arrecife, Canary Islands, in February 2023, after being rescued at sea by Spanish authorities. EPA

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  The Spanish NGO Proactiva Open Arms displays clothes at San Sebastian Beach, Barcelona, to draw attention on the migrants dying at sea, on December 11. AFP

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  Members of Spanish Maritime Safety and authorities assist rescued migrants on their arrival at Arguineguin in Gran Canaria on July 10. EPA

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  A group of 157 migrants arrives at Los Cristianos harbour, Tenerife, in the Canary Islands on July 4. EPA

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  Riot police cordon off the area around the border between the Spanish enclave of Melilla and Morocco after migrants crossed the fences on June 24, 2022. AP

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  Red Cross members take care of migrants rescued by Spanish Salvamento Maritimo on their arrival at Motril in Granada, Andalusia, Spain, on April 26, 2022. EPA

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  Migrants arrive at the Temporary Centre for Immigrants and Asylum Seekers in Melilla after jumping the border fence from Morocco on March 2, 2022. AFP

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  Another boatload of rescued migrants arrives at Arguineguin harbour, Gran Canaria, on February 11, 2022. EPA

The number of migrants who died or disappeared while trying to reach Spain by sea in 2023 is more than double that of the previous year, a rights group said on Tuesday.

Research by the Caminando Fronteras (Walking Borders) charity revealed at least 6,618 people had died or disappeared while making the journey to Spain throughout last year. Record numbers headed for the Canary Islands.

The number is almost three times that of the previous year – 2,390 – and the highest since the charity began keeping a tally in 2007, co-ordinator Helena Maleno said.

The “shameful” figure includes 384 children, the organisation which compiles its figures from families of migrants who died or went missing said.

Ms Maleno blamed the rise in migrant deaths and disappearances on a lack of resources for rescuers.

Nearly half involved migrants who had departed for Spain from Senegal, where political unrest along with a lack of jobs, rising food prices and dwindling fish stocks have caused thousands to flee the country.

The majority of deaths – 6,007 – took place on the Atlantic migration route from Africa to Spain's Canary Islands.

As controls are tightened in the Mediterranean, the seven islands have become a favourite destination for people fleeing poverty and conflict in Africa, mostly on overcrowded, barely seaworthy vessels that lack enough food and water for the journey.

“The Atlantic route has become the deadliest in the world,” Ms Maleno said.

The number of migrants arriving illegally in Spain in 2023 nearly doubled from the previous year, reaching 56,852, according to Interior Ministry figures.

That was the highest number since 2018, when 64,298 migrants entered the country.

The majority, about 70 per cent, arrived in the Canary Islands, which, at their closest point, are barely 100km from the north-west coast of Africa.

Boats depart from Morocco as well as Mauritania, Gambia and Senegal further south.

The 1,600km journey from Senegal to the Canaries usually takes a week of difficult upwind sailing.

Spain's central government in October pledged an aid package worth €50 million ($54 million) to help with the surge in arrivals.

Madrid has also stepped up co-operation with Senegal and Mauritania to try to stop boats leaving for the Canaries.

Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska said on Thursday this co-operation with African nations had stopped the departure of more than 27,000 would-be migrants to Spain last year.

“We have saved lives,” he claimed.

The International Organisation for Migration, which bases its tally on press reports and indirect accounts, said more than 1,200 migrants died or disappeared last year while trying to reach Spain.

But the UN agency stresses its figure is most likely “considerably” underestimated, given the difficulty of documenting shipwrecks and the fact that most bodies are never found.