‘Try or die’ – one man’s determination to get to the Canary Islands

Senegalese farmer Mouhamed Oualy has never been to sea, but he is about to embark on a perilous sea journey – one that has turned the Atlantic Ocean into a mass grave.

“The boat guys have called me – they said I should get ready. I am asking you to pray for me – the time has come,” he says.

BBC Africa Eye has gained unprecedented access to the secretive world of the migrants hoping to reach Europe via the dangerous crossing between West Africa and Spain’s Canary Islands.

And Mr Oualy wants to be one of the migrants to reach the archipelago – whose numbers have reached an all-time high.

The regional government there warns that what awaits them on the rocky shores of the archipelago is a system “overwhelmed” and “at breaking point” – but nothing will dent Mr Oualy’s determination.

Packed on to an overcrowded pirogue, a traditional wooden fishing canoe, Mr Oualy could face days, even weeks, at the mercy of one of the most unforgiving seas in the world.

From Senegal, it is an estimated distance of between 1,000km (600 miles) and 2,000km on the open ocean – depending on where you leave from, around 10 times the distance of other migrant routes crossing the Mediterranean.

Battling the ocean’s storms and strong sea currents, migrants often run out of water while suffering from severe motion sickness and intense fear.

At night, surrounded by dark waters, people often become delirious, overwhelmed by panic and dehydration.

Far away from the coast, in Senegal’s eastern region of Tambacounda, Mr Oualy’s children and extended family depend on the little money he made through farming.

The 40-year-old has not seen them for almost a year, after he moved closer to one of the major departure points along the coast.

There he has been working as a motorbike taxi driver, and borrowing money from friends, to gather the $1,000 (£765) fee to board one of the vessels leaving for the Canary Islands.

Fearing he could be scammed, he has agreed with the smugglers that he will only hand over the full amount if the boat makes it all the way.

“Nobody knows what could happen to me in these waters. The evil spirits of the sea could kill me,” he tells the BBC from the safety of the beach.

“The boat could capsize, killing everyone. If you fall into the water, what would you hold on to? The only possibility is death, but you have to take risks.”

Dozens of boats have disappeared with hundreds of lives on board. Without proper navigation systems, some veer off course and end up drifting all the way across the Atlantic, washing up on the coasts of Brazil.

If Mr Oualy survives the journey, he hopes to make a living to take care of his extended family, but he is keeping his plans secret to avoid worrying them.

Dark Waters: Africa’s Deadliest Migration Route – BBC Africa Eye investigates the perilous Atlantic crossing from West Africa to Spain’s Canary Islands.

Find it on iPlayer (UK only) or on the BBC Africa YouTube channel (outside the UK)

While Senegal recorded a solid economic performance during the decade from 2010, more than a third of the country still lives in poverty, according to the World Bank.

“I did any job you can imagine, but things didn’t get any better. If you don’t have money, you don’t matter. I am their only hope and I don’t have money,” he says.

Like Mr Oualy, most migrants on this route are sub-Saharan Africans fleeing poverty and conflict, exacerbated by climate change.

The Canary Islands have become a main gateway for irregular migrants and refugees hoping to reach Europe, especially after countries such as Italy and Greece introduced measures to crack down on other routes crossing the Mediterranean from Libya and Tunisia.

Almost 40,000 arrived in 2023, the highest number in three decades. So far this year, already more than 30,800 have made it to its tourist beaches, more than double the number from the same period last year.

As the weather conditions improve in the Atlantic, the Canary Islands government fears “the worst” is yet to come.

In an exclusive interview with BBC Africa Eye, Fernando Clavijo, the president of the Canary Islands government, described an “oversaturated” emergency system where sea rescuers, police and Red Cross volunteers are stretched beyond their limits.

“The consequence is that more people will die, we won’t be able to assist migrants as they deserve,” explains Mr Clavijo.

“Right now, Europe has the Mediterranean Sea blocked, which means that the Atlantic route, which is more dangerous and lethal, has become the escape valve.”

The BBC spoke to members of Spain’s emergency services, who asked to remain anonymous as they described their exhaustion.

One said: “Workers can’t bear witnessing death and devastation any longer.”

In El Hierro, the archipelago’s smallest island, the number of migrants who have arrived since the start of 2023 has already more than doubled the local population to nearly 30,000.

Mr Clavijo says locals cannot use public buses because they are all being used to carry migrants, which he fears could fuel xenophobia and create social unrest.

“We will all have to take responsibility, from the European Union to the Spanish government, because you cannot leave the Canary Islands facing this crisis on our own.”

In recent months, the sharp rise in arrivals has fuelled a fierce national debate in Spain over how to tackle irregular migration, with the Canaries calling for more state aid to care for those arriving, especially unaccompanied children.

Back in Senegal, Mr Oualy has finally been summoned by the smugglers to join other migrants in a secret hideout. His fate is now in their hands.

“There are a lot of us, we’ve filled the house. There are people from Mali and Guinea too. They take us in small boats of 10 to 15 people until we get to the big boat, then we leave,” he says.

To survive the long journey, Mr Oualy has only taken a few bottles of water and a handful of biscuits.

For the first two days, he is constantly sick. He stands up most of the time because of the lack of space and sleeps in sea water mixed with fuel.

He also runs out of water and has to drink from the sea.

Some people on the boat start to scream and become delirious. The crew tells the others to hold them down, so they do not fall overboard or push someone else in.

According to data from the United Nations migration body (IOM), the Atlantic route is fast becoming the deadliest migrant journey in the world.

An estimated 807 people have died or disappeared so far in 2024 – an increase of 76% compared to the same period last year.

But the number of casualties is likely to be significantly higher, because fatal accidents tend to go unrecorded on this route.

“Every 45 minutes, a migrant dies trying to reach our beaches. This means trafficking mafias are increasingly becoming more powerful,” says Mr Clavijo, referencing data sourced from the Spanish rights group Walking Borders.

The UN’s Office on Drugs and Crime estimates that criminals make around $150m a year on this route.

“The mafias that organise trips have realised that this is like drug trafficking, with little chance of being detected,” Lieutenant Antonio Fuentes, from a team in Spain’s Guardia Civil set up to tackle the smugglers, tells the BBC.

“For them, a migrant is a mere commodity. They carry people like they could carry drugs or weapons. They are simply victims.”

To better understand these criminal networks, the BBC spoke to one Senegalese smuggler organising boat trips – who asked to remain anonymous.

“If you take a big boat, one that can carry 200 to 300 people, and each of them pay around $500, we are talking about a lot of money,” he says.

When challenged about his criminal responsibility as a trafficker, on a trip that has killed many in his community, the smuggler is unrepentant and tells the BBC: “It is a crime, whoever gets caught should be put in prison, but there’s no solution.

“You will see people in the water who have died, but the boats keep going.”

For five days, the BBC receives no news from Mr Oualy. Then, one evening, he calls.

“The motor was heating up and the wind was so strong, some of the fishermen suggested we head to Morocco. But the captain refused. He said if we moved slowly, we’d be in Spain by 6am.”

Mr Oualy was less than a day away from reaching the Canary Islands when the ship’s engine ran into trouble – and many of the migrants, fearful of stronger winds once they went further out into the Atlantic Ocean, rebelled against their captain.

“Everyone started arguing and insulting each other. The captain gave in and turned back to Senegal.”

Mr Oualy survived the journey, but he sustained injuries and serious health problems from the journey.

He is in constant pain and moves slowly.

After a year planning the trip, Mr Oualy is back to square one – and has now returned to his family and is saving enough money for another passage.

“I wish to go back and try again. Yes, honest to God, that is my belief. That is better for me. If I die, it is God’s choice.”

If Mr Oualy makes it to Europe, it is likely he will not see his family for years. If he dies at sea, he will be lost to them forever.