On December 19, a boat traveling from West Africa to Spain collapsed off the coast of Morocco, killing at least 69 passengers, including 25 Malian citizens, according to Malian authorities.
About 80 passengers were on board the homemade boat when it overturned.
After gathering information to recreate the catastrophe, the ministry of Malians abroad revealed in a statement on Thursday that just 11 people survived.
It further stated that a crisis unit has been established to keep an eye on the situation and report any new developments.
This year has witnessed a spike in the number of African migrants attempting to reach Spain along the Atlantic migratory route, which runs from the coast of West Africa to the Canary Islands.
People try the crossing for a variety of reasons, including the effects of climate change on farming communities, unemployment, and years of conflict in the Sahel area, which includes Mali.
One of the deadliest routes in the world runs up to Spain along the Atlantic beaches of Morocco and Mauritania.
In June, the migration rights organization Walking Borders reported that an unprecedented roughly 5,000 migrants perished at sea in the first five months of 2024 while attempting to reach the Spanish archipelago.
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