Spain says nearly 2,200 migrants have reached Canary Islands in 2 days

In a historic day of rescues at the Canary Islands, a record 1,488 migrants arrived on Saturday, the EFE news agency reported. El Hierro, an island with 11,400 inhabitants, received the largest number of 1,235 people, while the remaining individuals were brought ashore on Gran Canaria and Tenerife. This surpassed the previous single-day record of 1,461 set in November 2020.

Spain's territorial policy minister, Ángel Víctor Torres, was set to visit the port of La Restinga on Sunday, following the island's declaration of a migration emergency five days prior. The government pledged €15.18 million to increase capacity at reception centers and fund transfers between islands and to mainland Spain. An extra €1 million would go to the Red Cross for medical care and assistance for newcomers.

Additional resources, including a maritime rescue vessel and staff for processing the transfer of unaccompanied minors, were also announced.

Local officials expressed concerns over the strain on port facilities and healthcare services. El Pinar's deputy mayor, Magaly González, reported that fishing crews and dive centers had limited maneuverability due to the accumulation of boats in the harbor. By Saturday, 158 people were transferred from El Hierro to Tenerife, while the temporary reception center in San Andrés housed 317 individuals.

Eleven of those who arrived earlier were still in the hospital. On Gran Canaria, 17 people required medical attention at the port of Arguineguín. The rescued migrants had endured between four and seven days at sea, coming from Senegal, The Gambia, or Mauritania. Among the rescued were 240 people who had spent six days crossing from Gunjur in The Gambia, including 36 minors.