Since Pope Leo XIV’s visit to Spain was announced, the pontiff voiced his intent to stop in the Canary Islands to highlight the humanitarian crisis on the deadly Atlantic migration route, as well as meet with migrants, rescue workers, and aid organisations.
Haruna Ndom, 18, set out two years ago on a days-long journey across the Atlantic in a fragile boat with dozens of other migrants.
Now in Spain's Canary Islands, one of the main entry points into Europe for African migrants, he hopes to build a future that will allow him to support his family in Senegal.
Ndom recalled being afraid during the roughly 1,000-kilometre (600-mile) Atlantic crossing to the archipelago off northwest Africa, one of the world's deadliest migration routes.
"At least I know how to swim," he told AFP, an advantage over many of the others aboard the boat.
