Record Number of Migrants Arrive at Canary Islands; Senegal is Primary Departure Point

As socio-political unrest intensifies in Senegal and other factors trigger mass migration, Spain seeks cooperation from Senegal and African countries to curb dangerous sea voyages.

A record-breaking 32,000 migrants have arrived at Spain's Canary Islands this year, most of them coming from Senegal. This figure surpasses the migration crisis of 2006, which saw around 31,678 migrants arrive.
Senegal's socio-political unrest, a lack of jobs, rising cost of living, depleting fishing stocks and poor health care systems are reported to be among the key factors pushing thousands to leave the country for Spain.
El Hierro, the smallest island in the Canary Islands, has become the main gateway for migrants to Spain, due to increased surveillance of the Moroccan coastline, rerouting many boats to this island. Nearly 7,300 landed there in October alone.
These migration routes are dangerous, and many migrants die during the journey. According to the International Organization for Migration, at least 778 migrants died or went missing during the first half of the year. However, this figure could be a significant undercount.
Spain's response to the crisis has included flying the Interior Minister to the Senegalese capital of Dakar to urge the Senegalese government to act more quickly and prevent more departures. Spain has also deployed numerous resources, including nearly 40 law enforcement officers, to monitor Senegal's coast and crack down on smuggling networks.