280 Migrants Arrive in Canary Islands by Boat

A large boat carrying 280 migrants has reached the Canary Islands in Spain. The vessel arrived on El Hierro, an isolated island located about 380km off the west coast of Africa. Rescue workers reported that the migrants were of sub-Saharan African origin, and this is the largest group to arrive in the archipelago at once. The route to the Canary Islands is both widely used and perilous, serving as a common pathway for African migrants attempting to reach Europe. Following the arrival of the boat, journalist and former migration adviser, Txema Santana, expressed astonishment at the unusually high number of people onboard on social media. According to the International Organization for Migration, 140 individuals have either lost their lives or gone missing while attempting this crossing since the beginning of the year. As stricter controls have been imposed to prevent people from crossing the Mediterranean via Africa's northern coast, the usage of this particular route has surged in recent years. Figures from Spain's interior ministry reveal that from January to September this year, a total of 14,976 migrants arrived in the Canary Islands, marking a 19.8% surge compared to the same period in 2022. Additionally, Senegal's navy announced on Monday that they had intercepted four boats carrying over 600 people within three days. Moreover, in August, it is believed that at least 60 individuals perished on a boat that was ultimately discovered near Cape Verde, an African island nation on the migration path to the Canaries.