Mali’s Minister for Malians Living Abroad, Mossa Ag Attaher, has announced that nearly 70 migrants lost their lives after a boat bound for Spain sank earlier this month.
In a press release Thursday, the minister revealed that the boat, carrying 80 migrants, capsized on 19 December, leaving only 11 survivors.
According to the Ministry, “25 young Malians have unfortunately been formally identified among the victims,” while nine Malian survivors have been identified.
The Atlantic route from West Africa to Spain’s Canary Islands remains one of the deadliest migrant pathways in the world.
For many migrants from Mali, Senegal, Mauritania, and neighbouring countries, the Canary Islands are viewed as a gateway to continental Europe, offering hope for economic opportunities or escape from violence and instability.
According to ABC News, several of the Malian victims hailed from the Kayes region in the country’s west. Doulaye Keita, an adviser to the ministry, confirmed this on Friday.
“Among the 25 Malians dead, there are 8 Malians from my commune,” said Mamadou Siby, the mayor of Marena commune in Kayes, in a statement to the Associated Press.
“These dead young men left my commune seven months ago to work in the construction industry in Mauritania. Unfortunately, they were in contact with their friends in Europe and America, who encouraged them to come to these countries, and in most cases, they took the perilous journey without even informing their families back home,” Siby explained.
