At least 69 people, including 25 from Mali, have died after a boat en route to Spain from West Africa sank off the coast of Morocco, Mali’s government confirmed on Thursday.
The overcrowded makeshift vessel was carrying about 80 people. Only 11 survived the disaster, nine of whom are Malian nationals, according to a statement from Mali’s Ministry of Malians Abroad.
The boat capsized last week, but the Malian government confirmed the tragedy days later and has dispatched a crisis unit to oversee the situation.
Mali continues to face significant challenges, including years of jihadist and separatist violence that have rendered much of the north and east ungovernable. Coupled with high unemployment and climate change impacts on agriculture, these factors drive many Malians to risk dangerous journeys in search of better opportunities in Europe.
The route across the Atlantic from West Africa to Spain is considered one of the deadliest migration paths. A Spanish NGO, Caminando Fronteras, reports that more than 10,000 people have died attempting to reach Spain by sea in 2024, averaging 30 deaths per day.
