Migrant boat sinks off Moroccan coast, 69 missing

Dec. 27, 2024

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – According to official reports from the government of Mali, a migrant boat that was headed for Spain sank off the Moroccan coast, leaving 69 people missing and 11 rescued.

The Malian government released a statement regarding this incident which indicates that the boat had 80 migrants onboard.

Among the victims are 25 young Malian nationals and among the 11 survivors, nine are Malian citizens, according to the statement.

Each year, thousands of individuals risk their lives trying to cross from Africa to Europe by sea, often using flimsy, makeshift boats.

2024 has been the deadliest year on record, with over 10,400 migrants losing their lives while trying to reach Spain, particularly on routes to the Canary Islands, according to the Spanish NGO Caminando Fronteras.

This averages to almost 30 deaths per day.

While the Canary Islands are just 100 kilometers from North Africa's coast at their nearest point, with the shortest path running from Morocco's Tarfaya to Fuerteventura, traffickers often choose the more treacherous routes.

To avoid detection, they sail far into the Atlantic Ocean before turning northward.

This Atlantic journey is particularly dangerous, as the basic boats are ill-equipped to cope with powerful ocean currents. Some departures start from points up to 1,000 kilometers away from the archipelago.

In the meantime, Mali continues to face growing security challenges since 2012, with ongoing threats from al-Qaeda and ISIS-affiliated groups, along with separatist forces and criminal organizations.

As stated by the UN's International Organization for Migration, the total death toll for migrants trying to reach Europe from Africa since 2014, including those headed to the Canaries, surpasses 16,400 people.

Some information was obtained from an AFP report.