70 People Die in Boat Tragedy on the Way to Spain's Canary Islands, 10 Survivors: Authorities

70 People Die in Boat Tragedy on the Way to Spain's Canary Islands, 10 Survivors: Authorities

Authorities in Mali have reported that at least 70 people died when a boat traveling from West Africa to Spain's Canary Islands sank off the coast of Morocco on December 19. Among the victims, 25 were citizens of Mali.

The boat, which had about 80 passengers on board, sank during the journey, leaving only 11 survivors. The Malian Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed this information in a statement on Thursday and has collected necessary data to reconstruct the incident.

Several of the victims were from the Kayes region of Mali, where many had previously migrated to Mauritania for construction work. Local authorities confirmed that 8 of the deceased were residents of that area.

Additionally, the death toll among migrants traveling from Africa to Spain's Canary Islands has increased this year. From January to November 2023, 41,425 African migrants reached the Canary Islands, a significant rise compared to the previous year's record of 39,910.

Conflict, unemployment, and climate change in the Sahel region of Africa are being identified as major factors driving communities, particularly farmers, to embark on these dangerous journeys.