Tragic Increase in Migrant Deaths Trying to Reach Spain

In the first six months of 2023, at least 951 migrants have tragically lost their lives while attempting to reach Spain by sea. This is according to a report released Thursday by Caminando Fronteras (Walking Borders), a Spanish migrant rights group.

This includes 112 women and 49 children. The organization compiles its figures from families of migrants and rescue statistics, which were provided by Spain's Interior Ministry.

The figures provided by the Interior Ministry show that 12,192 people arrived by boat in the first six months of the year, a decrease of four per cent compared to the same period in 2022.

However, the unfortunate reality is that 13 more people died in the same time frame. Caminando Fronteras has blamed countries such as Spain and Morocco for a lack of coordination and failing to carry out rescue operations in time.

As an example, on June 21, 24 people were rescued and two bodies were retrieved after a boat sank in waters off Morocco's coast, however, 36 migrants were reported missing. According to the organization, a Moroccan rescue ship did not arrive until 10 hours after the first warnings were sent out about the boat.

More recently, Caminando Fronteras and Alarm Phone reported that 55 migrants who had left from southern Morocco for Spain's Canary Islands went missing when their boat sunk. Only four were rescued by the Moroccan authorities.

The International Organization for Migration's Missing Migrants Project recorded the sinking based on reports from the two groups, which it considers to be reliable. The total number of migrants who lost their lives or went missing in attempts to reach Spain in 2022 was 2,390, according to Caminando Fronteras.

It is an incredibly sad and alarming situation that desperately needs to be addressed and improved. All countries involved have a responsibility to ensure the safety of all migrants who are attempting to make their way to a new life.