More than 1,300 migrants have died attempting to reach Spain’s Canary Islands in the first five months of 2026, highlighting the ongoing humanitarian crisis along what is widely considered the world’s deadliest small boat migration route.
According to Spanish NGO Caminando Fronteras, at least 1,317 people – including 142 women and 129 children – lost their lives while attempting the dangerous journey from West Africa to the Canary Islands between January and May. The organisation believes the true death toll could be even higher, as some boats disappear without ever being detected.
April recorded the highest number of fatalities with 382 deaths, followed by 373 in January, 319 in February, 139 in March and 104 in May. In 2025, the organisation reported 3,090 deaths on the same route, while around 10,000 migrants are believed to have perished in 2024.
Human rights groups say tighter cooperation between Spain and several African countries has helped reduce arrivals by intercepting migrant boats before they reach Europe. However, these measures have also forced many people to depart from locations further south, leading to longer and more dangerous sea crossings.
The Canary Islands experienced record migrant arrivals in 2024, with nearly 47,000 people reaching the archipelago. Numbers have since fallen sharply, with just over 2,000 arrivals recorded during the first four months of 2026.
The death toll on the West Africa–Canary Islands route remains far higher than that of the English Channel crossing. Oxford University’s Migration Observatory recorded 24 migrant deaths in the Channel during 2025 and at least six fatalities so far in 2026.
During a visit to Spain this week, Pope Leo XIV called on governments to respect migrants’ rights and international law while strengthening efforts to combat people smuggling. He also urged nations to provide safe and legal migration pathways and create conditions that allow people to remain safely in their home countries.
The Pope is due to visit the Canary Islands to meet migrants and humanitarian organisations and to commemorate the thousands of lives lost at sea, drawing renewed attention to one of the world’s most dangerous migration routes.