44 Pakistanis among 50 feared dead in tragic boat disaster en route to Spain

A tragic incident involving migrants trying to reach Spain from West Africa may have claimed the lives of up to 50 people, including 44 Pakistanis, according to migrant rights group Walking Borders.

The group said on Thursday that the boat, which left Mauritania on January 2, was carrying 86 migrants, including 66 Pakistanis. Moroccan authorities rescued 36 people from the boat on Wednesday.

The migrants were part of a larger wave attempting to make the perilous journey across the Atlantic to the Canary Islands.

Walking Borders, based in Madrid and Navarre, revealed the boat had been missing for days before the alarm was raised.

Six days ago, the team had notified authorities in all involved countries of the vessel’s disappearance.

The non-governmental organization Alarm Phone, which helps migrants lost at sea, also contacted the Spanish maritime rescue service on January 12, but the service had no information about the boat.

Walking Borders has recorded a record number of deaths in 2024, with 10,457 migrants – about 30 a day – dying trying to reach Spain, mostly along the Atlantic route from West African countries such as Mauritania and Senegal.

The Canary Islands, a key destination for many migrants, have become an important site of this deadly migration route.

Helena Maleno, CEO of Walking Borders, shared on social media that 44 of the victims were from Pakistan, describing the ordeal as a 13-day journey of pain and anguish with no rescue help.

The tragedy has sparked outrage from both local officials and humanitarian groups.

Fernando Clavijo, the regional leader of the Canary Islands, expressed his deep sorrow and called on Spain and Europe to take urgent action to prevent further loss of life.

“The Atlantic cannot continue to be the graveyard of Africa,” Clavijo said on social networking platform X, calling on international leaders to address the growing humanitarian crisis.