Spain's maritime rescue service rescued 3,261 migrants in the Canary Islands from Nov. 1-6, Reuters reported, as the arrivals put transport and medical services under pressure.
Fernando Clavijo, the Canary Islands' regional leader, said the current pace was nearing 2024's record level and had exceeded it on some days. Reuters reported that El Hierro, one of the islands receiving migrants, has about 11,400 residents.
Buses were diverted to migration operations, and medical staff were brought to La Restinga from other islands, Clavijo said Friday.
Reuters reported that about 500 people reached the port of La Restinga after a rescue involving two boats on the night of Nov. 5. Crews recovered one body, Reuters reported. At least nine migrants have died off the islands in recent weeks, and a critically ill baby was airlifted to a hospital after arriving, Reuters reported. EconoTimes previously covered at least seven deaths in an earlier boat crossing bound for the islands.
Clavijo attributed the recent increase in departures to calmer seas. Travelers on the Atlantic route from West Africa face a long passage in crowded boats, with rough seas and strong currents adding to the danger, Reuters reported.
Despite the recent surge, the January-October 2026 tally remained nearly 61% below the corresponding 2024 figure, Reuters reported.
