The Changing Landscape of Migrant Migration
In the tiny Canary Island of El Hierro, forensic pathologist Modesto Martinez has witnessed a stark transformation in migrant arrivals. What he once expected to be a quiet posting has become a critical frontline in tracking the human cost of dangerous maritime migrations.
Alarming Migrants Statistics
Key migration statistics paint a troubling picture:
- 33 irregular migrants have arrived dead or died shortly after reaching El Hierro in 2024
- In 2023, the number was 11
- In 2022, only one migrant death was recorded
The Treacherous Migrant Atlantic Crossing
Martinez, the island’s only forensic pathologist, describes the harrowing journey:
- Migrants traverse roughly 2,000 km from West Africa
- Boats are typically overcrowded and open-topped
- Most migrants die from:
- Dehydration
- Hypothermia
- Drinking seawater
Migrant Identification Challenges
The process of identifying deceased migrants is complex:
- Most migrants discard ID cards to avoid deportation
- DNA matching takes up to two months
- Over 90% of migrant deaths remain unidentified
Escalating Migrant Crisis
Red Cross data reveals the scale of the crisis:
- Approximately 20,000 irregular migrants have arrived on El Hierro in 2024
- Total Canary Islands arrivals exceed 40,000
- Migrant arrivals rose 12% between January and October
- Dead or disappeared migrants increased by 61% in the same period
A Personal Story: Migrant Bathie Barry
One case illustrates the human tragedy:
- A male migrant, aged 30 to 35
- identified as Senegalese Bathie Barry
- seems to have died from hypothermia.
- Only given a case file number, buried in El Pinar cemetery
Systemic Gaps in Migrant Response
Experts highlight critical issues:
- There is no set procedure in Spain for looking for and locating missing migrants.
- Absence of a centralised system to monitor migrant fatalities
- Applying marine safety procedures inconsistently
International Organization for Migration’s Perspective
Andrea Garcia Borja from the IOM points to multiple factors driving the crisis:
- Boats arriving from other parts of West Africa
- Up to 300 persons can be packed by smugglers per vessel.
- Taking advantage of the Sahelian region’s volatility
A Humanitarian Migrant Crisis Unfolds
The September shipwreck epitomizes the tragedy:
- Out of 84 individuals on a boat, just 27 survived.
- El Hierro has nine buried remains.
- The remainder is thought to be lost at sea.
Each body tells a tale of life-threatening danger and desperate hope as European nations tighten their immigration laws, adding to the human cost.