Record levels of migrants take perilous route to Canary Islands
The Canary Islands have experienced record-levels of immigration this year as the Spanish territories struggle to cope with the immense influx, according to Reuters.
On November 2nd, Spain’s interior minister said the number of migrant arrivals between January 1st and November 30th was 41,425, up nearly 2,000 from last year – a record year itself.
The seven islands have seen regular arrivals of migrant boats crammed with people predominantly from Mali, Senegal and Morocco, looking for a better life under Spanish rule.
While illegal immigration into the EU as whole slumped, the Canary Islands saw the fastest increase out of all EU countries this year, according to Frontex data.
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The route to the islands is perilous, with rough Atlantic seas easily capsizing over-loaded and flimsy rafts and dinghies used by most migrants.
According to TheNewHumanitarian, more than 5,000 migrants died trying to reach Spain in the first five months of 2024, with 95% percent of fatalities on the route to the Canary Islands.
Other routes are not just limited to the Strait of Gibraltar but also routes between north-east Morocco and Andalusia, and routes between Algeria and the east coast of Spain up to Valencia, including the Balearic Islands.
The prevalence of Moroccans taking the Atlantic route, is perhaps a recent phenomenon as Morocco has cracked down on migration with EU and Spanish support following the deaths 23 migrants and asylum seekers in 2022 at the border fence around Melilla, a Spanish city in north Africa.
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While some migrants have turned to other Mediterranean routes, many have fancied their luck in the Atlantic, heading to Mauritania and Senegal where routes are established.
Indeed, migrant sea arrivals to the Canary Islands more than doubled between 2022 and 2023, raising questions about the EU’s immigration policies.
Where crossings are policed and the flow of migrants stemmed, smugglers inevitably open up other routes which are likely to be even more deadly than the last.
Reuters and TheNewHumanitarian
