Six-year high: nearly 1,500 migrants reach Canary Islands in 24 hours

Nearly 1,500 migrants reached the Canary Islands in 24 hours, the highest daily number since 2020. The Spanish Coast Guard rescued 1,488 people from 14 boats. Most migrants are from Senegal, Gambia, and Guinea. Authorities on El Hierro are struggling to cope with the influx.

Nearly 1,500 migrants arrived yesterday (Saturday) in the Spanish-controlled Canary Islands after being rescued from 14 boats in the Atlantic Ocean. This is the highest single-day number since 2020, amid an intensifying wave of migration from West Africa. The Spanish Coast Guard rescued 1,488 people, breaking the previous record from November 7, 2020. Twelve of the boats reached El Hierro, the small, remote island, and two others reached Gran Canaria and Tenerife. One boat carried 240 people, including 12 women and 36 children. Most migrants came from Senegal, Gambia, and Guinea, and some spent four to seven days at sea. The current migration wave began to intensify in October and is putting heavy pressure on reception centers on El Hierro, which has 11,400 residents. The president of the Canary Islands government, Fernando Clavijo, described the situation as 'completely unbearable.' The Spanish government has allocated additional resources, and the minister for territorial policy is expected to visit the island. Despite the sharp increase in recent weeks, government data shows a 5.5% decrease in the number of migrants from January to October this year compared to the same period last year.