More than 1,300 migrants have lost their lives off the Spanish coast over the past five months while attempting to reach Europe in search of a better life and to support their families.

Caminando Fronteras, a human rights organization that monitors the hazardous crossing from Africa via the Atlantic Ocean and Western Mediterranean routes, disclosed this information on Wednesday (June 10).

The report was released ahead of Pope Leo's upcoming visit to Spain’s Canary Islands, an archipelago that has seen a massive surge in irregular migration over the last decade.

According to the report, 1,317 people—including 142 women and 129 children—perished in the first five months of 2026 while attempting to reach the Spanish coast. Furthermore, 27 boats completely vanished at sea with all passengers on board.

During his visit to Spain this week, the Pope addressed the treatment of migrants by European nations, describing their plight as an issue that challenges the very moral foundations of the international system.

International human rights organizations note that as enforcement and interception efforts tighten in nearby departure points like Mauritania, migrants are attempting to evade coast guards and security forces.

Consequently, they are opting for much longer and far more perilous routes across the Atlantic Ocean.

The rights group also noted that in 2025, a total of 3,090 migrants died or went missing while trying to reach Spanish shores.

The shortest distance between the Canary Islands and the West African coast is approximately 100 kilometers (62 miles). Additionally, migrants frequently attempt to swim across a separate 20-kilometer-wide stretch separating Morocco from Spain.
Source: Reuters