BBC Africa Eye investigates what is fast becoming the world’s deadliest migration route: the perilous Atlantic crossing from West Africa to Spain’s Canary Islands.
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Father-of-two Mouhamed has never been to sea, but he is about to take what is fast becoming the deadliest migrant journey in the world: the Atlantic crossing from West Africa to Spain’s Canary Islands.
Facing days, even weeks, on the open ocean, this year more than 70,000 irregular migrants and refugees are expected to attempt this perilous journey, many of them in overcrowded wooden boats.
From Senegal, Mouhamed will have to survive the treacherous crossing with little more than a handful of biscuits and a few bottles of water, all to achieve his dream of making it to the southern border of Europe. For all those who make it to the Canaries, there will be thousands who die trying. It’s a tragedy unfolding in real time, buried under world headlines.
In this hard-hitting investigation, #BBCAfricaEye reporter Mame Cheikh Mbaye takes viewers into the secretive world of migrants hoping to escape conflict and extreme poverty in Senegal and neighbouring countries, and what they hope will be a brighter future in Europe.
Mame Cheikh follows Mouhamed as he prepares himself for a journey that, one way or another, will alter the trajectory of his life forever. Negotiating with the criminals organising the crossing, getting ready without alerting police suspicion, before finally receiving the call from his smuggler to head to a secret hideout in preparation for a midnight departure. Mouhamed’s story intimately captures his journey, the viewer is with him throughout, including when he is in an open boat en route to the Canary Islands.
Mame Cheikh also talks to the families who have lost loved ones while attempting the crossing, secures rare access to the smugglers organising the migrant boats and meets with the Spanish authorities who are on the front line disrupting the criminal networks involved in this deadly trade. Throughout the film, he explores some of the motivations which are driving tens of thousands onto the boats in search of what they think could be a better life… only for many to perish, turning the Atlantic Ocean into a mass grave.
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#Senegal #CanaryIslands #Migrants #Documentary #Refugees #Refugee #Migrantes #Canarias #AfricaNews #BBCAfrica #investigativejournalism
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🗞 Read about this investigation here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4g957x3g49o
📽 Watch this documentary in FRENCH here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icIMp1ehPqE
God has forsaken my people. How can Africa be rich but it's people suffer or dying trying to get to Europe? Truly sad.
Stay where you are where full up
Invaders
I wish we lived in a better world. There is so much suffering, it's so sad.
"It is better to die than to watch family suffering…" this is the dilemma! Hard to watch sitting in a comfortable home!
This is what Trump means by China taking every and giving nothing..
May God hold them in the palm of His hand. Thank you for this very important (and well-done) documentary. It is as profound to me as "A Walk To Beautiful". God bless.
Why didn’t you stop him from smuggling and help him with a plane ticket rather than
The deadliest one is actually the border from Yemen to Saudi Arabi for Ethiopians but Saudis are at least smart
The difference is that the reporter is allowed to go by plain and has a visa to go anywhere h want he will never understand what those that go with the boat go Thru to make a day pass successfully
Poor guys! They risk everything at sea only to find out that there are basically two options for them in Spain…work like a slave in the greenhouses or sell party hats and fake watches to drunk tourists. I wish for them to find better options at home!
😢 , ahhh this sad ,😟
Watching this video makes me cry😢😢
All the uk tax payers problem
What did you people do to support Mohammed after this documentary?
They will be beneficial as a food for the sharks in the Mediterranean………
Si seulement les gens voulaient se donner la peine de comprendrent les migrants. Je pourrais me surprendre à rêver à un monde meilleur pour tous. ❤️🙏🌺
Europe is being invaded. I wouldn't care what is going on in your country. Stay there and make your country liveable.
💔so sad …great documentary tho 👏🏻…r.i.p to all the brave people that loose there life searching for a better life ❤
Nice documentary Mame, this is insightful.
Senegal is like Babylon U S the United snakes that’s not good.
God saved him . Imagine if they went far and the engine fall out . ??
Thank you for documentary's BBC Africa love from nepal 🙏🙏🙏🙏
How is it that thousands of years ago, North Africans made it safely to the Iberian lands, yet with modern ships, and boats, people are dying trying to get to Spain ? 😮This is sad😢and quite confusing as well.
How in 2025 (with internet easily accessible everywhere on earth) can they still think that doing this will solved their problem,change their condition and make their lives better? We all know that they will be as poor in the west than they were in their country and will not be able to help their family who now will have to struggle alone by themselves. I can understand how decades ago they could be misinformed about the west but now in 2025 how can someone still be THAT mislead on what their fate will be here?
So hes just admitted he came to the canary islands just because he wanted to better his life, not because hes in danger or his country is in the conflict of war, so why has he come here illigaly instead of getting a flight and having his own business and paying a hell of a lot less money for a flight hmmm
Your Home is in Africa, there is many Neighbor Countries you can go to. We only accept legal Aliens.
Immigration is a Privilege, not a Right, it’s very unfair to those who are entering the legal Way. Coming in on a work visa is one option. Of course Education is required at all the Times.
Yeah illegal migrant, forgot the illegal part, read up the deffinitions first 😂
What happens when they reach shore ? Does the captain get arrested? Are the boats single use ? How do they navigate their way there ? In the dark at night ? God bless these people at the end of the day we are all human and human suffering should move us all.
Allah will protect brothaz i not worry
Come to the uk we will welcome you. 🎉
Pfff.. This is sad, that families are pushed to make such decisions… Thank you for sharing this.
If this guy were to successfully reach Spain he would probably get a miserable job picking tomatoes on a farm, sleeping in a shack, with just enough money to buy what he needs there. I suppose sending 20 Euros a month home to his family might be worth it though.
The Canary Islands should be given to Africa.
Reaching these islands would face migrants reaching Africa and nothing more”.!
Over 300 billion people on their way continent of Africa.
They must reduce, control their populations.
Europe and America are not responsible for countries that cannot accommodate, care for their own.
No country can afford this and it’s not on them to care for or provide for other nationals.
Stop the nonsense and either abstain, get females on birth control, make sexual attacks on females a life in prison as punishment!!!