Tragedy at Sea: Migrants' Perilous Journey to Spain

A tragic incident involving the drowning of 50 migrants en route to Spain from West Africa has been reported by Walking Borders. The authorities rescued 36 people, but the fate of the remaining passengers remains grim. Urgent calls for action have been made to prevent more tragedies.

A migrant rights group, Walking Borders, reported on Thursday that up to 50 migrants may have drowned while attempting to reach Spain from West Africa by boat. The tragedy unfolded after Moroccan authorities rescued 36 individuals from a vessel that had left Mauritania on January 2, carrying 86 migrants, including 66 Pakistanis.

The alarming number of migrant deaths in 2024 has reached 10,457, an average of 30 people daily, as many attempt the perilous Atlantic crossing from countries like Mauritania and Senegal to Spain's Canary Islands. Walking Borders highlighted they had notified all relevant authorities about the missing boat six days prior, yet search efforts remained insufficient.

Amidst calls for action, Canary Islands' regional leader Fernando Clavijo expressed his condolences and urged Europe to prevent further loss of life. Walking Borders CEO Helena Maleno confirmed that 44 of the drowned migrants were Pakistani nationals, who had endured 13 days at sea without rescue.

(With inputs from agencies.)