More than 1,300 migrants lost their lives between January and May 2026 attempting to reach the Spanish coast, according to data published by a human rights organization specializing in monitoring migration routes between Africa and Europe. This toll highlights the persistent dangers of sea crossings to Spain.
The victims primarily used two particularly dangerous routes: the Atlantic route to the Canary Islands and the western Mediterranean route. These journeys are considered among the deadliest in the world due to harsh weather conditions, unsafe boats, and the long distances involved.
The organization behind these figures regularly monitors migration flows from Africa. It emphasizes that these human tragedies are part of a recurring trend, marked by frequent shipwrecks and disappearances at sea that are often difficult to document comprehensively.
Spanish authorities regularly face the arrival of migrants on their shores, particularly in the Canary Islands, which have become one of the main entry points to the European Union for people coming from West Africa. Rescue and reception services there are regularly stretched beyond their capacity.
These crossings are often organized by smuggling networks that exploit the distress of migrants, making them pay large sums for extremely dangerous journeys, with no guarantee of reaching their destination.
This new report renews calls from NGOs to strengthen rescue operations at sea and to develop legal immigration pathways in order to reduce the use of these clandestine journeys, which continue to cause heavy human losses each year.
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