On December 19, 2024, a makeshift boat ferrying around 80 migrants capsized off the coast of Morocco, leading to the death of 69 individuals, 25 of whom were Malian nationals. This incident has marked 2024 as the most lethal year in maritime migration to Spain.
The Malian Ministry of Malians Abroad validated the survival of a small number of passengers, nine of whom were Malian, with the majority of the casualties hailing from the Kayes Region in western Mali. “The makeshift boat was carrying around 80 people when it capsized. Only 11 survived,” the ministry announced in a formal statement, introducing the formation of a crisis group to oversee the situation.
The Spanish migration rights group, Caminando Fronteras, labelled this incident as an “unacceptable tragedy.” They reported that at least 10,457 migrants lost their lives or went missing while trying to reach Spain by sea in 2024, representing a 58% rise from the previous year.
Caminando Fronteras attributed the fatalities to “the omission of the duty to rescue, the prioritization of migration control over the right to life, the externalization of borders in countries without adequate resources, and the inaction and arbitrariness in rescues” as the main factors. The group underscored the usage of unsafe boats, increasingly perilous routes, and inadequate maritime rescue services as contributing elements.
The Atlantic migration pathway to Spain’s Canary Islands was particularly lethal in 2024. Caminando Fronteras reported 9,757 deaths along this route, labeling it “the deadliest in the world.” Mauritania became the primary departure point for migrants aiming for the Canary Islands that year.
Spanish authorities recorded record-breaking figures, with 41,425 arrivals between January and November 2024, surpassing the 2023 record of 39,910. Alongside Italy and Greece, Spain is one of Europe’s three primary migrant entry points, documenting 60,216 irregular entries from January 1 to December 15, 2024 – a 14.5% increase from the previous year.
According to Caminando Fronteras, the victims in 2024 hailed from 28 nations, mainly in Africa, but also included individuals from Iraq and Pakistan. The aid group disclosed that among the deceased were 1,538 children and 421 women. A key factor driving migration from Mali in particular has been the country’s instability since 2012, as jihadist insurgency and military coups have rendered much of the country unmanageable. The struggles of unemployment and the impact of climate change on agricultural communities have further fueled the rise in migration attempts.
As per Spain’s Interior Ministry, 60,216 migrants landed by sea from January 1 to December 15, 2024, indicating a 14.5% rise from 2023. Caminando Fronteras reported that the Atlantic route through Mauritanian and Moroccan waters remained the main pathway, with their data illustrating an average of 30 deaths per day throughout 2024 – the highest toll since the organization started monitoring maritime migration deaths in 2007.
