Spanish maritime rescue services intercepted 1,488 migrants aboard 14 boats off the Canary Islands on Saturday, marking the highest single-day arrival since 2020.
According to Spain’s EFE news agency, the surge surpasses the previous one-day record of 1,461 people rescued on November 7, 2020. Twelve of Saturday’s boats arrived on the small island of El Hierro while one reached Gran Canaria and another landed in Tenerife.
One vessel arriving in El Hierro carried 240 people including 12 women and 36 children. Most of the rescued individuals originated from Senegal, Gambia and Guinea-Conakry.
While overall migrant arrivals to the Spanish archipelago between January and October dropped by 5.5% compared to the same period last year, a sharp spike since October has strained reception and emergency facilities on smaller, sparsely populated islands like El Hierro. Spanish Territorial Policy Minister Angel Victor Torres is scheduled to visit El Hierro on Sunday to assess the situation.
The Atlantic crossing from West Africa to the Canary Islands remains one of the world’s deadliest migration routes. Thousands risk rough seas and strong currents in overcrowded boats each year with crossings typically rising during autumn due to calmer weather conditions.
