Nearly 70 migrants died when their boat sank en route to Spain, a Malian minister says Boston 25 News [Video]

BAMAKO, Mali — (AP) — Nearly 70 migrants died when their boat sank as they tried to reach Spain earlier this month, Mali’s Minister for Malians Living Abroad said.

In a press release on Thursday, Mossa Ag Attaher announced that a migrant boat bound for Spain sank on Dec. 19. The migrants in this boat “numbered 80 at the start, with only 11 survivors,” according to the Ministry. The Malian authorities have identified nine Malians among the survivors, and “25 young Malians have unfortunately been formally identified among the victims,” the minister added.

The Atlantic route for migrants from West Africa to the Canary Islands is one of the deadliest in the world. Located nearer to Africa than mainland Spain, the archipelago is seen by most as a step toward continental Europe. Many of those making the journey come from Mali, Senegal, Mauritania, and other West African countries, seeking better job opportunities abroad or fleeing violence …