The tragedy of illegal immigration: Waters drown the hopes of hundreds of migrants on the Spanish coast
The Canary Islands have seen a rise in irregular migration over the past decade.
27 boats disappeared with all those on board.
The report stated that 1,317 people died while trying to reach the Spanish coast, including 142 women and 129 children, during the first five months of 2026. This includes 27 boats that disappeared with all those on board.
During his visit to Spain this week, the Pope focused on the treatment of migrants, describing their plight as a problem that challenges the moral foundation of the international order.
Migrants take longer routes
Human rights groups say migrants are taking longer and more dangerous routes across the Atlantic to avoid detection, as efforts intensify to stop crossings in places like Mauritania, which is close to Europe.
According to the group, 3,090 people lost their lives or disappeared in 2025 while trying to reach the Spanish coast.
It is worth noting that the shortest distance between the Canary Islands and the coast of West Africa is about 100 kilometers, or 62 miles.
Migrants often also attempt to swim along a different route from Morocco to Spain, which is about 20 kilometers wide.
At least 72,000 deaths since 2014
Since 2014, the International Organization for Migration’s Missing Migrants Project has recorded more than 72,000 deaths on migration routes around the world.
2024 was the deadliest year on record for migrant deaths and disappearances, marking the second consecutive year in which the annual death toll exceeded 8,700. In 2024, Africa, Asia, and Europe experienced the highest number of migration-related deaths ever.
However, the recorded number of deaths represents only a lower estimate, as the majority of migrant deaths around the world go unrecorded. The importance of this data is not limited to highlighting the issue of migrant deaths and their repercussions on the families left behind, but it can also be used to assess the risks of irregular migration and to develop policies and programs to make migration safer.
