[LAUREN TAYLOR]
MORE THAN 10-THOUSAND MIGRANTS DIED TRYING TO REACH SPAIN BY SEA THIS YEAR – THAT’S AN AVERAGE OF 30 PEOPLE PER DAY.
THE SOBERING STATISTICS COME FROM A SPANISH MIGRATION RIGHTS GROUP, WALKING BORDERS, WHICH SAYS THAT’S THE MOST DEATHS IT’S RECORDED SINCE IT BEGAN KEEPING TRACK NEARLY TWO DECADES AGO.
THE REPORT RELEASED THURSDAY SHOWS OVERALL DEATHS ROSE NEARLY 60 PERCENT COMPARED TO 2023.
WALKING BORDERS SAYS MOST OF THE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF MIGRANTS FLEEING VIOLENCE, POVERTY OR PERSECUTION SET SAIL FROM WEST AFRICA FOR THE CANARY ISLANDS THIS YEAR.
THE GROUP BLAMES POORLY CONSTRUCTED BOATS, DANGEROUS ROUTES AND LIMITED RESCUE RESOURCES FOR THE DRAMATIC RISE IN DEATHS.
THE AID GROUP IS URGING SPAIN’S GOVERNMENT TO DO MORE TO PROTECT AND RESCUE MIGRANTS AT SEA.
CALLING THE FATALITIES “A PROFOUND FAILURE OF RESCUE AND PROTECTION SYSTEMS” AND THE LATEST FIGURES “AN UNACCEPTABLE TRAGEDY.”
THE CANARY ISLANDS, WHICH SAW A RECORD NUMBER OF MIGRANTS FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW, SAYS IT’S OVERWHELMED BY THE SURGE.
THIS FALL, THOUSANDS OF PROTESTERS DEMANDED ACTION TO CURB THE NUMBER OF MIGRANTS ENTERING THE CANARIES ILLEGALLY.
SPANISH OFFICIALS NOTE, MORE THAN 60-THOUSAND MIGRANTS, A NEARLY 15 PERCENT INCREASE FROM LAST YEAR, REACHED SPAIN BY BOAT IN 2024.
THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY REPORTEDLY CAME THROUGH THE ATLANTIC ROUTE, NOTORIOUS FOR ITS DANGEROUSLY STRONG CURRENTS.
OFFICIALS SAY HUMAN SMUGGLERS TAKE THE LONGER AND MORE DANGEROUS ROUTE TO AVOID DETECTION FROM AUTHORITIES.
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FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS– I’M LAUREN TAYLOR.