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Deadly Shipwreck Off Spanish Coast: 8 Migrants Dead, 17 Missing Near Cadiz
Sunday 17 October 2021, by
The lifeless bodies of four migrants were found on Saturday, off the coast of Cadiz, in southern Spain, bringing the number of victims of the shipwreck that occurred in this area to at least eight dead and 17 missing.
"During the day today (Saturday), four bodies were found," said a spokesman for the rescuers who are continuing the search on Sunday. According to the three survivors (two men and a woman) of the shipwreck, 28 people were on board the boat. Their nationality and place of origin have not yet been determined, reports Barlamane.
Migrants of Moroccan or Algerian origin generally use this maritime route to reach Spain, their final destination being France for most of them. In total, 27,136 migrants have reached Spain, the Balearics or the Canary Islands by sea between January and the end of September, according to data from the Ministry of the Interior.
To read: Third Moroccan Migrant’s Body Found on Ceuta Beach in One Week
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), at least 1,025 people have lost their lives at sea in an attempt to reach Spain or its archipelagos, a significant figure that leads the organization to say that the year 2021 is "the deadliest on the migration route to Spain".
At least 785 people have also died at sea between January and August 2021 as they tried to reach the Canary Islands from West Africa, the IOM adds. For its part, the NGO Caminando Fronteras estimates that more than 2,000 people have died or gone missing at sea in 2021 in an attempt to reach the Canary Islands.