More than 500 migrants have died this year on the Algerian route, many of the victims, near the Balearic Islands
A report from Walking Borders alerts that this migratory route has registered a record number of deaths during the first five months of the year
PalmaThe migratory route between Algeria and the Spanish state has claimed the lives of 507 people between January and May 2026, many of whom are believed to have died in waters near the Balearic Islands. This is according to the latest report from the NGO Caminando Fronteras, which documents a total of 1,317 fatal victims on the different routes to the Spanish coasts during the first five months of the year.
The entity points out that the Algerian route concentrates the highest number of tragedies in the analyzed period and that, for the first time, it exceeds the threshold of 500 victims in just five months. The figure represents an increase of 54.6% compared to the same period last year. According to the report, since 2025 a worrying pattern has been repeating: the appearance of bodies on the coast showing signs of recent drowning. For the organization, this circumstance allows us to deduce that several shipwrecks have occurred in areas relatively close to the Balearic Islands.
Given this situation, Caminando Fronteras calls for an investigation to improve the detection systems for boats in distress and to strengthen the effective protection of the right to life of migrants. The data indicates that, on this maritime border, one person loses their life every seven hours. Among the 1,317 victims documented between January 1 and May 31 are 142 women and 129 minors. Furthermore, the NGO has registered the disappearance of 27 boats with all the people on board.
The Atlantic route continues to be the deadliest of all migratory routes to the Spanish state, with 635 victims. Although arrivals have decreased by 72% compared to the previous year, the organization warns that the journey has become more lethal. According to their calculations, if in 2025 about 14 people died for every 100 who managed to reach their destination, this year the proportion has increased to 21.
Regarding the rest of the routes, the Strait route has doubled the number of deaths, from 52 to 99 in one year, while at the Ceuta fence, 48 fatal victims have been registered during the first five months of 2026. The founder of Caminando Fronteras, Helena Maleno, has emphasized that the report is "an act of memory" aimed at recognizing the victims and guaranteeing the right of families to know what happened to their loved ones. "Memory is also a form of justice," she stated.
The publication of the report coincides with the imminent visit of Pope Leo XIV to the Canary Islands. Maleno considers that the data presented highlight the consequences of the lack of effective policies for the protection of migrants. "The figures accurately show the reality to which the Pope refers when he denounces the exclusion and discrimination suffered by people who migrate," he concluded.