More than 3,000 people lost their lives attempting to reach Spain by sea in 2025, according to a major new report, marking a significant decrease from the previous year's devastating toll. However, human rights groups have issued a stark warning, stating that the decline is a direct result of intensified border security measures that are funnelling desperate migrants onto even more perilous journeys.
A Statistical Decline Masking a Human Crisis
The data, compiled by the Spanish NGO Caminando Fronteras, records 3,090 fatalities between 1st January and 15th December 2025. Among the dead were 192 women and 437 children. This figure, while tragically high, represents a substantial fall from the 10,457 deaths documented in the equivalent period of 2024.
Helena Maleno, the NGO's research coordinator, presented a nuanced and grim picture. She revealed that while the total number of deaths has fallen, the number of recorded shipwrecks has actually risen to 303, with an estimated 70 vessels disappearing without a trace. "This is because we've seen an increase in the number of embarkations on the dangerous route from Algeria to the Balearic Islands," Maleno explained. "These boats tend to carry around 30 people, whereas the ones on the Atlantic route to the Canary Islands may have up to 300 people on board."
The Impact of EU Border Policy and Shifting Routes
Official Spanish government statistics show a parallel decline in arrivals. Up to 15th December 2025, 35,935 irregular migrants reached Spain by sea and land, compared to 60,311 during the same timeframe in 2024. Analysts and the report itself attribute much of this reduction to significantly tighter border policing.
A key factor highlighted is the role of Mauritania, a major departure point for migrants aiming for the Canary Islands. In 2024, the European Union signed a €210 million migration partnership with the Mauritanian government, funding enhanced border control measures. This deal has been heavily criticised by organisations like Human Rights Watch, which has accused Mauritanian authorities of systematic abuses against migrants, including rape and torture – allegations the government denies.
The Caminando Fronteras report details the deadly consequences of these shifting policies:
- The Atlantic route to the Canary Islands remains the deadliest, claiming 1,906 lives in 2025.
- The Algeria-to-Balearics route, which has grown in popularity, led to 1,037 deaths.
- A new, extremely long 2,200km route from Guinea to the Canaries has also emerged.
Condemnation of 'Necropolitics' and Inadequate Rescue Response
Maleno condemned what she described as a policy of "necropolitics," driven in part by far-right political influence across Europe. "The persecution and witch-hunts of migrants is having a huge impact on human rights in Europe," she stated.
The report concludes with a damning assessment of search and rescue capabilities. "The institutional response to tragedies at sea remains patently inadequate," it states. "Although there has been collaboration between countries in some cases, there are still worrying delays in mobilising rescue missions, a lack of adequate resources and limited political will to protect lives."
The victims, who hailed from 30 different countries, were predominantly from West and North Africa, but also included people from Pakistan, Syria, Yemen, Sudan, Iraq, and Egypt. The data underscores that the Mediterranean and Atlantic migration crisis, while changing in its dynamics, continues to exact a horrific human cost.
