In a significant move to address the rising tide of irregular migration towards Spain, Morocco has intensified its efforts following a notable increase in migrant arrivals in Ceuta. Recently, the Royal Moroccan Navy reported the interception of 201 migrants who were attempting to make their way to the Canary Islands after departing from the contested territory of Western Sahara. This region, which has been predominantly controlled by Morocco since it was formerly a Spanish colony, has increasingly become a departure point for migrants seeking to cross the perilous Atlantic Ocean, particularly in light of heightened migration controls throughout North Africa.
On August 29, the Moroccan Navy successfully intercepted a vessel carrying these migrants approximately 185 kilometers (115 miles) southwest of Dakhla, a coastal town situated in the disputed Western Sahara. According to a statement from the General Staff of Morocco's Royal Armed Forces, as reported by the Spanish news agency EFE, the migrants, including women and children, were subsequently taken to the nearby fishing village of Roc-Chico, located about 190 kilometers southwest of Dakhla. The Armed Forces did not disclose the nationalities of the intercepted migrants, but they confirmed that after receiving necessary medical care on board, the individuals were handed over to the Royal Gendarmerie for the usual administrative procedures.
Data indicates that as of August 15, nearly 5,000 migrants had arrived on the Spanish Canary Islands, reflecting a substantial decline of almost 60 percent compared to the same period last year. However, despite this decrease, the humanitarian organization Caminando Fronteras has reported that at least 635 individuals died or went missing along this dangerous Atlantic route between January and May, underscoring the perilous nature of these migration attempts.
Western Sahara: A Contested Departure Point for Migrants
Western Sahara remains a complex and disputed territory, primarily controlled by Morocco after Spain's withdrawal in 1975. The region is also home to the Polisario Front, a political and armed movement that advocates for Sahrawi independence. This geopolitical tension has turned the northwest African Atlantic coast into a fluctuating departure zone for irregular migration. According to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), smugglers have increasingly utilized southern Morocco and northern Western Sahara as launch points for boats heading to the Canary Islands, particularly since 2020. When migration controls tighten in Morocco or Mauritania, often supported by the European Union, migrant routes tend to shift further south to countries like Mauritania, Senegal, and The Gambia, as highlighted by UNODC research.
The changing political and security landscape surrounding Western Sahara plays a crucial role in determining the departure points for irregular migrant boats. However, it is essential to recognize that underlying factors such as economic hardship, conflict, climate change, and insecurity throughout West and Sub-Saharan Africa remain significant drivers pushing individuals to undertake these perilous journeys.
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the route to the Canary Islands is fraught with danger, with a recorded 1,214 deaths or disappearances in 54 shipwrecks occurring in 2025 alone. This alarming statistic brings to light the critical need for comprehensive solutions to address the challenges of irregular migration in this region.
As reported by infomigrants.net.
