The number of immigrants who entered the Canary Islands irregularly this year is already the largest in history, with an increase of 62%. Most arrive by sea. NGO denounces “continuous chaos” on the Spanish islands.
The number of immigrants who entered the Spanish Canary Islands irregularly this year exceeds 46,800 people and it is already the largest in historyaccording to data from the Government of Spain released this Thursday.
Between January 1 and November 15, 46,862 people entered the Canary Islands irregularly, more than in the entire year 2006, which until now registered the record of arrivals (31,678).
The vast majority (45,707 people) arrived by sea to the Canary Islandslocated in the Atlantic, off the western African coast, in precarious boats known in Spain as “pateras”, according to data from the Spanish Ministry of the Interior.
Compared to the same period last year, the The number of immigrants increased by 62%.
The arrivals of migrants in the same situation to Spain, but through the Mediterranean Sea, also increased this year, but to a much lesser extent: 13,044 people between November 1 and 15, 11.5% more than in the same period of 2022.
During last year and in the first half of 2023, the so-called “Canary migratory route”, one of the most dangerous on the African continent, seemed to show signs of stabilization or even a decrease in the number of arrivals.
Last year, 15,682 arrivals were recorded, 30% less than in 2021. This year, between January and the end of May, these figures revealed a decrease of 47% (from 8,268 to 4,406) compared to the same period in 2021. However, In the summer months the downward trend changed.
Spain is one of the European countries that manages the largest number of entries of irregular immigrants into Europe, through the Mediterranean and Canary coasts.
The regional government of the Canary Islands stated on October 23 that the response structures for immigrants arriving irregularly to the archipelago are under “maximum pressure”, “they are beginning to be exhausted” and requested the activation of the European civil protection mechanism.
The regional government referred, in particular, to the situation of the more than 4,000 unaccompanied immigrant minors who are on the islands and called for a permanent and continuous solidarity mechanism between the autonomous communities throughout Spain to welcome these young people.
The Minister of Internal Administration of Spain, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, announced in mid-October the reinforcement of surveillance of the coasts of Senegal and Mauritania, in collaboration with the authorities of these two African countries, to prevent ships with immigrants from leaving. towards the Canary Islands. The minister attributed the increase in arrivals to the Canary Islands to the “destabilization of the Sahel.”
Fernando Grande-Marlaska also stated that Spain has reinforced infrastructure and human resources in recent years to welcome immigrants in the Canary Islands.
That same day, the Spanish Network for Immigration and Refugee Assistance filed a complaint with the Ombudsman against the Secretary of State for Migration. “due to inaction and lack of reinforcements” in the face of the peak in immigrant arrivals to the Canary Islands.
According to the non-governmental organization (NGO), there is a “Continuous chaos” in the Canary Islands which has already caused “enormously serious” situations, such as people crowded into “unsanitary areas” and other “temporary spaces that have deteriorated.”
In addition to the immigrants who arrive on the Spanish coasts, Hundreds die at sea. Nearly a thousand people died in the Mediterranean and the Atlantic in the first six months of this year when trying to reach Spain from North Africa, according to another NGO, Caminhando Fronteiras.
Source: Observadora
