MADRID — Spain’s maritime rescue service said Sunday that nearly 2,200 migrants arrived by boat in the Canary Islands over the past two days.
The Spanish archipelago off northwest Africa is a primary entry point for migrants entering the country. Most come from West Africa and attempt the dangerous Atlantic crossing in unseaworthy boats. According to the Interior Ministry, more than 13,000 of the just over 28,000 people who reached Spain by sea between January and the end of October arrived in the Canary Islands.
The Maritime Rescue Service said it assisted 1,324 migrants aboard 14 dinghies, most of whom landed on the island of El Hierro. The figure approached the daily record for this route: 1,461 people rescued on November 7, 2020.
The Atlantic stretch between West Africa and the Canary Islands is one of the world’s deadliest migration routes. While the islands lie roughly 65 miles (105 kilometers) from the closest point in Africa, many migrants undertake longer journeys lasting days or weeks to avoid security forces. The majority depart from Mauritania.