At least 69 migrants, including 25 Malian nationals, have died after their boat sank off Morocco on December 19, Mali’s government confirmed.
The overcrowded vessel, carrying around 80 people, was en route from West Africa to Spain when it capsized. Only 11 survivors were rescued, according to a statement released by Mali’s Ministry of Malians Abroad on Thursday. Authorities have established a crisis unit to monitor developments and provide updates.
The Atlantic migration route, which runs from West Africa’s coast to Spain’s Canary Islands, has witnessed a sharp increase in activity this year. Despite its reputation as one of the world’s most dangerous migration corridors, thousands attempt the perilous journey to escape conflict, unemployment, and the devastating effects of climate change in the Sahel region, including Mali.
According to Walking Borders, a migration advocacy group, nearly 5,000 migrants died at sea attempting to reach the Canary Islands in the first five months of 2024—an unprecedented toll.