Desperate Search for Missing Migrant Boat Canary Islands

Spanish rescuers are desperately searching for a boat carrying at least 200 African migrants that went missing more than a week ago. The boat, now known as the Missing Migrant Boat Canary Islands, had set sail from Kafountine, a coastal town in southern Senegal, aiming for the Canary Islands. The aid group Walking Borders reported that many children were among the passengers.

The Missing Migrant Boat Canary Islands embarked on its journey on June 27, setting off from Kafountine, which is approximately 1,057 miles away from Tenerife.

Two other boats carrying dozens more people are also reported missing. The total number of people missing across the three boats, including the Boat Canary Islands, is over 300.

Missing Migrant Boat Canary Islands on Migration Statistics

The voyage from West Africa to the Canary Islands is one of the most dangerous routes for migrants. The boats used are often simple fishing boats, ill-equipped to handle the powerful Atlantic currents.

Last year, at least 559 people died at sea attempting to reach the Spanish islands, according to the UN’s International Organisation for Migration (IOM). The Missing Boat is a stark reminder of these dangers.

The IOM reports that 15,682 people arrived irregularly in the Canary Islands in 2022, a decrease of 30% compared to 2021.

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However, despite the year-to-year decrease, the number of people attempting this dangerous route remains high compared to previous years. The Missing Migrant Boat is a part of this ongoing migration issue.

Spain’s maritime rescue service has joined the search for the Missing Migrant Boat Canary Islands. The news of the missing boat comes just weeks after one of Europe’s worst Mediterranean migrant shipwrecks, where an overcrowded trawler sank off the Greek coast, resulting in at least 78 confirmed deaths and up to 500 people still missing. The search for the Missing Boat continues, highlighting the ongoing challenges and dangers faced by migrants.