Lorraine Williamson
Migrant deaths linked to Spain did not fall because the journey suddenly became less dangerous. That is the uncomfortable warning behind new UN migration data: even where the headline numbers look slightly better than last year, the real story is often about missing information, not reduced risk.
The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) says at least 7,667 people died or went missing on migration routes worldwide in 2025. The agency stresses this is likely an undercount, with reduced monitoring and shrinking access to routes making deaths harder to confirm.
Spain’s Atlantic route remains a major red flag
For Spain, the most immediate figure sits on the Atlantic: IOM data records 1,047 deaths or disappearances on the route to the Canary Islands in 2025. The number is a reminder that this crossing is not simply long, but volatile — with weather, overcrowding, and fragile vessels turning routine departures into tragedy.
The same dataset lists 2,108 deaths in the Mediterranean in 2025. Sea routes, the IOM notes, continue to carry a disproportionate share of the global toll.
Why the numbers can mislead
On paper, 2025 looks marginally less deadly than 2024. IOM’s message is blunt: treat that comparison with caution. The agency points to funding shortfalls and reduced access to information, which can mean fewer deaths are recorded even when the dangers stay the same — or worsen.
This is not a technical detail. In practice, undercounting changes how the public understands risk, how resources are allocated, and how quickly rescues and investigations are triggered.
The human reality behind a single figure
A statistic like “1,047” can feel abstract until you remember what it represents: families who never arrive, and others who reach Spanish soil carrying the weight of those who didn’t.
The IOM argues the long-term answer is not simply stronger borders, but safer and regulated pathways, alongside protection and rescue capacity that reflects the reality of these routes.
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What to watch in 2026
Early indicators suggest the risk has not eased. IOM tracking shows more than 600 people had already died attempting the Mediterranean crossing in early 2026, underlining how quickly a year’s toll can climb.
For Spain, the Atlantic route to the Canaries remains the point where weather, distance, and enforcement pressures collide — and where a single week of rough seas can change the story.