Holidaymakers and refugees in the Canary Islands: The deadly Atlantic route in focus
On Lampedusa, the sight is almost familiar: While locals and travelers sunbathe on the beaches, boats full of refugees from Africa approach the island. A very similar scene has been observed in the Canary Islands for some time now.
Last year, 2.5 million Germans vacationed on the Spanish Canary Islands off the west coast of Africa. They hiked through La Palma, cycled across La Gomera, visited caves on Lanzarote, or relaxed on the beaches of Gran Canaria, Tenerife, and Fuerteventura. And sometimes the Red Cross or other aid organizations provide care for stranded migrants just a few meters away.
In 2024, around 47,000 refugees arrived in the Canary Islands: a record high. Although the number of asylum seekers overall in Europe fell by 40 percent, it increased by 19 percent on the Atlantic route. Most boats docked in El Hierro, the smallest of the seven islands: 14,500 asylum seekers met 11,000 locals here last year.
From a few days to several years: Refugees arriving in Germany spend varying amounts of time on their journey. Studies show which routes take longer, where refugees are stopped, and what role money plays.
The number of crossings is remarkable, especially given that it is said to be the deadliest refugee route in the world. According to the NGO Caminando Fronteras, of the 46,843 people who made it to Europe last year, 9,757 refugees were reported missing or dead. One in five or six of those crossing the Atlantic died. The death rate was this high for the first time in 2024, when it rose by 50 percent compared to the previous year.
While the Canary Islands can be reached from some parts of Morocco in just over 100 kilometers by sea, people from Guinea have to travel up to 2,500 kilometers across the Atlantic. The crossing takes between one and ten days.
Boats unsuitable for the high seas and extremely overcrowded, such as small wooden boats, fishing boats, and rubber dinghies, a stormy Atlantic, and psychological stress pose dangers. Many survivors reported that people were exhausted or pushed from the boat in the confined space and left to die. People are dying of thirst and suffocation on board. Crammed together, they are exposed to the sun without protection. Water, food, and fuel repeatedly run out.
Most of the fatalities occurred in Mauritania: Caminando Fronteras registered 6,829 deaths among those from there. 2,127 people died on the way from Senegal and Gambia to the Canary Islands, and 801 on the much shorter route from Morocco and the Moroccan-occupied territory of Western Sahara. Among the 2,024 deaths were 421 women and 1,538 minors. 4,050 unaccompanied minors survived the Atlantic crossing.
The people from Senegal traveled on a small wooden boat for seven days before reaching La Restinga on El Hierro.
Source: Maria Ximena/AP/dpa
The UN Organization for Migration (IOM) has documented only 696 deaths for 2024, but states that a high number of unreported cases is likely. Caminando Fronteras, on the other hand, compared data from official agencies and social organizations with survivor figures from boat accidents, but nevertheless refers to confirmed cases. The NGO also assumes an unreported number.
Just a few years ago, the Atlantic route was a barely used escape route. In 2018, 1,307 people from North and West Africa successfully crossed to the Canary Islands. By 2019, the number had more than doubled (2,698). It has been heavily used since 2020, when 23,322 people arrived—an increase of almost 900 percent.
In 2024, the number of asylum seekers arriving by boat doubled again: 46,843 were registered by the authorities in the Canary Islands. This represented 73 percent of all people entering Spain illegally. The vast majority of the refugees came from Morocco and Western Sahara, Senegal, and Mali.
The Atlantic route has become a dangerous alternative to the route through the Sahara and across the Mediterranean for many refugees from West and Central Africa because it is significantly less monitored than the traditional routes. More and more transit countries are blocking access and cracking down on refugees, partly because they, like Morocco, Niger, and Tunisia, have entered into deals with the European Union. Constant checks, violence, threats, human rights violations, and death are real scenarios for refugees.
On a beach in Tenerife, newly arrived refugees meet holidaymakers in swimwear who help them with water and food.
Source: imago stock&people
The blockades have resulted in alternative and generally more dangerous escape routes for asylum seekers. Deaths have also risen significantly in the Sahara, as smugglers have forced migrants to travel ever deeper into the desert. At the same time, the numerous detours have significantly increased the costs for refugees.
In recent years, an alternative route across the Atlantic to Europe has been established. Boats depart from Conakry in Guinea, Bissau in Guinea-Bissau, Ziguinchor and Saint-Louis in Senegal, Nouadhibou in Mauritania, Dakhla in Moroccan-occupied Western Sahara, and the Moroccan cities of Tarfaya, Tan-Tan, and Guelmim.
Of those who survive the crossing to the Canary Islands, only a few have a chance of a successful asylum application. According to the Geneva Refugee Convention, only about 10 percent of those arriving actually need protection.
Refugees from West Africa are accommodated in tent camps like this one on Tenerife.
Source: imago images/Pacific Press Agency
The new route poses a major challenge for Spain and the EU. Locals in the Canary Islands fear for their most important economic sector, tourism, and blame the Spanish government. Madrid, for its part, does not want to allow large numbers of refugees onto the mainland to prevent them from moving on from Spain to other EU countries. A fair distribution of refugees has been raging for five years.
However, there are no known large-scale deportations. Instead, many refugees live in makeshift and overcrowded camps on the islands. Spain has recently sought an agreement with Morocco to take back refugees from Morocco and Western Sahara. Spain and the EU are also negotiating with Gambia, Senegal, Mauritania, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, and Mali.
However, it's unlikely that the situation will ease. On the one hand, the switch from the western Mediterranean route to the much more dangerous Atlantic route shows that many refugees are not deterred by blockades, but are willing to accept more detours and risks. On the other hand, Spanish authorities estimate that 300,000 people, including those from neighboring countries, are waiting in Mauritania alone for a boat that will take them to the Canary Islands. Despite all the dangers.
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