MADRID: An NGO reported Thursday that at least 10,457 migrants perished or vanished while attempting to travel to Spain by sea in 2024, which is more than 50% higher than the previous year and the highest number since the organization started keeping track in 2007.
In a report covering the period from January 1 to December 5, 2024, the migrant rights organization Caminando Fronteras, also known as Walking Borders, stated that the 58% rise includes 421 women and 1,538 children.
Compared to about 18 in 2023, it equates to an average of 30 deaths every day.
The organization gathers its data from official rescue statistics, families of missing migrants, and hotlines established for migrants on troubled vessels to call for assistance.
