A new boat carrying 60 people, including eight women, has raised the total number of migrants arriving in the Canary Islands this weekend to 840 across 13 boats. This marks a significant influx, reflecting the ongoing trend of increased migrant arrivals to the islands.
The latest group was rescued by the maritime rescue vessel Guardamar Urania, which brought them to safety at Puerto de Naos in Lanzarote’s capital around midnight. All the individuals appeared to be in good health, and none required medical evacuation, according to reports from 112 Emergency Services, the Red Cross, and the Lanzarote Emergency Consortium.
This latest arrival is part of a broader surge that saw at least 2,658 migrants reach the Canary Islands in the week from 16th to 22nd September, spread across 41 boats. The majority of these arrivals landed on the coasts of Lanzarote and El Hierro, but other islands like Tenerife and Gran Canaria also experienced significant arrivals.
Among those arriving last week, most were of Sub-Saharan African and Maghrebi origin. Notably, the group included at least 86 minors, some of them infants, as well as 115 women.
The consistent increase in migrant arrivals highlights the pressing issue of migration to the Canary Islands, with emergency services, rescue teams, and aid organizations working tirelessly to manage the situation.
