A record 46,843 people reached the Canary Islands illegally in 2024 via the increasingly deadly Atlantic route, the second consecutive year of unprecedented arrival numbers.
A report last week by NGO Caminando Fronteras said at least 10,457 migrants died or disappeared while trying to reach Spain by sea from 1 January to 5 December 2024.
The death toll was a 50% increase on 2023 and the highest since its tallies began in 2007, attributed to the use of ramshackle boats and dangerous waters.
The EU border agency, Frontex, noted that irregular crossings into the bloc fell 40% overall but rose by 19% on the Atlantic route, indicating a shift in migration patterns.
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