MADRID, Spain: In an attempt to reach Spain by the sea in 2021, more than 4,000 migrants died or went missing, according to Spanish non-governmental organization Caminando Fronteras.
Caminando Fronteras, which tracks data from boats in distress, revealed that 4,404 migrants perished or vanished in attempts to reach Spain last year, AFP reported.
The numbers are two times higher than recorded in 2020 when 2,170 migrants had suffered deaths or disappearances.
Caminando Fronteras stated that 4,404 in 2021 is the highest yearly number since the group started keeping records in 2015.
Migrant arrivals in Spain’s Canary Islands in the Atlantic have increased since late 2019 after increased patrols along Europe’s Southern Coast dramatically reduced crossings to the Continent via the Mediterranean.
This route is fraught with dangers due to strong currents and the greater distances involved.
