Over 1,600 Migrants Reach Spanish Canary Islands in a Single Weekend, Sets Record for Passage

Record-breaking migrant arrival coincides with 90% increase in boat arrivals this year, as instability in the Sahel region drives desperate journeys from sub-Saharan Africa to Spain.

Over the weekend, more than 1,600 migrants arrived on Spain’s Canary Islands, marking a significant increase in what has been a record year for arrivals. The majority of these migrants are from sub-Saharan Africa, with most boats departing from Senegal.
One boat that arrived on Saturday was carrying 320 migrants, the largest number in a single vessel since human traffickers began regularly using the Canary Island route in 1994. The previous record was 280, set earlier this month.
Upon arrival, migrants spend up to 72 hours in police custody for identification, after which they are moved to various reception or detention centers depending on their individual cases. While some are deported, many apply for asylum and are taken to mainland Spain for their petitions to be studied.
According to Spain's Interior Ministry, nearly 23,500 migrants reached the Canary Islands by boat between January 1 and October 15, a 90% increase compared to the same period last year.
Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska links the surge in illegal arrivals to the political destabilization of the Sahel region in Africa, which has seen a series of military coups in recent years.