This is the second consecutive year of record-breaking numbers, surpassing last year’s total of 39,910 arrivals.
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The number of migrants reaching Spain’s Canary Islands by precarious vessels from West Africa has hit a record high, with 41,425 arrivals recorded between 1 January and 30 November, according to Spain’s Interior Ministry.
This marks the second consecutive year of record-breaking arrivals, highlighting the ongoing challenges of irregular migration to the archipelago.
Located off the northwestern coast of Africa, the Canary Islands serve as a key entry point for migrants seeking better opportunities in Europe, according to local media.
Most arrive on overcrowded, open-topped boats, adding significant strain to the islands’ capacity to manage the surge.
According to the EU border agency Frontex, Mali, Senegal, and Morocco were the top three nationalities of migrants arriving in the Canaries as of October.
In response to the trend, Spain has requested that Frontex resume air and maritime surveillance operations in Mauritania, Senegal, and Gambia, which ended in 2018.
Last year, 39,910 migrants arrived in the archipelago, exceeding the previous record set in 2006, Spanish media indicated. This year’s numbers have already exceeded that figure with one month remaining in 2024.
The Atlantic migration route remains one of the most risky, with rough ocean conditions frequently capsizing with weak rafts, pirogues, and dinghies used by migrants.
Between January and October, the Canaries experienced the fastest growth in sea arrivals in the European Union despite a general decline in irregular migration to the bloc overall, according to Frontex.