OMM Newsroom
Nearly 1,500 migrants arrived in Spain’s Canary Islands on Saturday, setting the highest one-day arrival figure since 2020, Anadolu Agency reported, citing figures carried by EFE.
Spanish coastguard teams rescued 1,488 people aboard 14 boats, EFE reported on Sunday, citing the maritime rescue service.
The arrivals come amid a rise in migration from West African countries to the archipelago since October. The previous single-day record was 1,461 people rescued in waters off the Canary Islands on Nov. 7, 2020, maritime rescue services said on Sunday.
One of the boats rescued on Saturday carried 240 people, including 12 women and 36 children, authorities said. They were taken to El Hierro, one of the archipelago’s smallest islands.
Most of those rescued were from Senegal, Gambia and Guinea Conakry. Twelve boats arrived at El Hierro, while one reached Gran Canaria and another Tenerife.
The surge has put additional pressure on reception facilities and emergency services on some islands, particularly those that are smaller and less densely populated.
The Atlantic route from West Africa to the Canary Islands is considered one of the world’s deadliest crossings. Thousands of migrants attempt the journey each year in overcrowded boats despite rough seas, strong currents and long distances.
