Unprecedented number of migrants die on journey from Africa to Canary Islands

Nearly 5,000 migrants died in the first five months of this year while trying to reach the Spain’s Canary Islands off the coast of Africa, according to Reuters citing a report from the migration rights group Walking Borders. 

The group said that between January 1 and May 31, 4,808 people died after leaving Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal and Gambia en route to the Canary Islands. This makes it the deadliest route between Africa and Spain, accounting for 95% of deaths.

According to Spain’s interior ministry, arrivals in the Canaries leapt five times to 16,500 year on year.

The Mediterranean was the second deadliest route, with 175 deaths on the Algeria-Spain crossing. A further 71 people died crossing the Strait of Gibraltar between Morocco and Spain, making a total of 5,054 deaths on routes to Spain- a stark average of 33 per day. 

Last year over 6,000 people died trying to reach the Canary Islands with a record 39,910 making the landing. Those numbers are set to be surpassed this year, rights groups say.