At least 300 people traveling on three migrant boats from Senegal to the Canary Islands have disappeared, migrant aid group Walking Borders has said.
Two boats, one with around 65 people on board and the other with between 50 and 60 on board, have been missing for 15 days since they left Senegal to try to reach Spain, Helena Maleno of Walking Borders told Reuters.
A third ship left Senegal on June 27 with about 200 people on board.
The families of the people on board have not heard from them since they left, Maleno said.
The three ships set out from Kafountine in southern Senegal, which is about 1,700 kilometers (1,057 miles) from Tenerife.
“The families are very worried. There are about 300 people from the same area of ??Senegal. They have left because of the instability in Senegal,” Maleno said.
The Canary Islands have become the main destination for immigrants trying to reach Spain. Summer is the busiest period for all crossing attempts.
The Atlantic flyway, one of the deadliest in the world, is often used by migrants from sub-Saharan Africa. At least 559 people, including 22 children, died in 2022 trying to reach the Canary Islands, according to data from the UN International Organization for Migration.
