A tragic boat disaster involving migrants en route to Spain from West Africa has claimed the lives of up to 50 people, including 44 Pakistanis, as reported by the migrant rights organization Walking Borders.
The incident occurred when the boat, which set sail from Mauritania on January 2 with 86 migrants aboard, including 66 Pakistanis, went missing. Moroccan authorities rescued 36 people from the vessel on Wednesday.
The migrants were part of a larger group attempting the dangerous journey across the Atlantic to the Canary Islands.
Walking Borders, based in Madrid and Navarra, revealed that the boat had been lost for several days before the alarm was raised. Six days ago, the organization had informed authorities in all relevant countries about the boat’s disappearance.
The non-governmental group Alarm Phone, which aids migrants lost at sea, also contacted Spain’s maritime rescue service on January 12, but reportedly received no information about the boat.
Walking Borders has documented a record number of migrant deaths in 2024, with 10,457 lives lost—approximately 30 people per day—during attempts to reach Spain, mostly along the dangerous Atlantic route from West African nations like Mauritania and Senegal.
The Canary Islands, a primary destination for many migrants, have become a central point for this deadly migration route.
Helena Maleno, CEO of Walking Borders, shared on social media that 44 of the victims were from Pakistan, describing the journey as a harrowing 13-day ordeal filled with suffering and no rescue intervention.
The tragedy has sparked widespread outrage among both local officials and humanitarian organizations.
Fernando Clavijo, regional leader of the Canary Islands, expressed his profound grief and called for immediate action from Spain and Europe to prevent further loss of life.
“The Atlantic cannot continue to be Africa’s graveyard,” Clavijo stated on social media, urging international leaders to address the worsening humanitarian crisis.
