UN insists on safe migration routes after shipwreck in Atlantic

A joint statement by the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) deplored the incident in which about 50 people from northern Senegal were killed or missing while trying to reach the Canary Islands, a Spanish archipelago.

These people are seeking a better life, but greedy smugglers and flimsy boats are shattering their dreams,” both organizations lamented, and noted that at least 87 people have lost their lives on that route this year only, according to the IOM.

The deadliest month so far was March, with 61 deaths, although the death toll related to this dangerous crossing is likely higher.

Until April, 14,030 people had arrived in the Canary Islands, far exceeding the 2,376 recorded by the Spanish Interior Ministry compared to last year.

Meanwhile, 56 boats were rescued between January and April 2023. The figure amounts to 212 in 2024.