A NEW report has laid bare the severity of the migrant crisis after it was revealed that more than 3,000 people have died attempting to reach Spain this year.
Spanish non-governmental organisation Caminando Fronteras (‘Walking Borders’) support those living in fragile border zones and say a total of 3,090 migrants lost their lives trying to reach Spain by sea in 2025 – equal to almost nine deaths every single day.
According to data published by Spain’s interior ministry, some 35,935 migrants successfully landed in Spain this year, meaning almost 8 per cent of those attempting to enter the country by small boat perished at sea.
But the statistics are an improvement on 2024 when a record 10,457 migrants died or disappeared en route to Spain – equal to at least one death every hour.
According to the new report, migration patterns have changed over the past twelve months with new routes becoming more popular while others, such as the infamously dangerous passage between east Africa and the Canary Islands, have seen a significant dip in migrant arrivals.
Arrivals to the Canaries have slowed over the past year, falling 53 per cent from January 1 to September 15 compared with the same period in 2024 – with experts pointing to the breakthrough deal prime minister Pedro Sanchez struck with Mauritania, a key point of departure for African migrants.
The bilateral agreement, signed in August last year, included extra funding to support the poverty-stricken nation’s border control in an attempt to disincentivise those attempting to make the hazardous trip west.
That has led to a fall in trips on the Atlantic route with 1,906 deaths this year.
But arrivals have surged elsewhere, with Caminando Fronteras saying the route between Algeria and the Balearic Islands has become the busiest and most dangerous with the number of victims more than doubling to 1,037 in 121 different incidents.
In particular, the charity points to the stretch of water between Ibiza and Formentera where rescue services are scarce.
Elsewhere, 139 migrants have died crossing the busy Strait of Gibraltar from the north African coastline.
The total number of deaths include 192 women and 437 children, with victims coming from countries varying from Bangladesh to Somalia.
January and February were the most dangerous months, with 796 and 638 deaths recorded respectively, whereas just 47 people perished in July.
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