EU Migration Policies Push Migrants to Deadlier Atlantic Route to Canary Islands (pbs.org)

• Over 50,000 migrants arrived in Canary Islands in 2025, up 40% from 2024.
• Estimated 5,000 deaths on the Atlantic route in 2025.
• EU agreements with Mauritania, Senegal, and The Gambia to intercept migrants.
• Spanish officials and NGOs say policies are counterproductive.

"EU agreements with West African nations to intercept migrants at sea have inadvertently forced migrants onto more dangerous routes to the Canary Islands. In 2025, over 50,000 arrivals were recorded, a 40% increase from 2024, while deaths at sea soared to an estimated 5,000. Spanish authorities and NGOs argue the strategy overwhelms local reception capacity and fails to deter migration. The EU has pledged additional funding, but conditions on the ground remain dire."