Over 30 migrants rescued off El Hierro coast

In a series of dramatic events off the coast of El Hierro in Spain's Canary Islands, more than 30 migrants were rescued by Spanish coast guard teams. This rescue operation marked the second such incident of the day, following an earlier arrival of at least 77 migrants at La Restinga port.

The rescue efforts were complicated by harsh sea conditions, necessitating the transfer of migrants from their wooden boat to a coast guard vessel. These events unfolded just two days after a tragic shipwreck that claimed at least nine lives and left 48 people missing, including a minor. This disaster is potentially the deadliest of its kind in the Spanish archipelago in 30 years.

The Canary Islands have seen a significant surge in migrant arrivals this year. Between January 1 and September 15, 2023, the number of migrants crossing from West Africa to the Canaries reached 26,758, according to interior ministry data. This increase contrasts with a decline in migrant flows along the central and western Mediterranean routes from North Africa, as reported by the EU Frontex border agency.

The late summer's calm seas and gentle winds in the Atlantic Ocean off West Africa have contributed to this renewed surge in migration attempts. Earlier this year, local authorities, including Clavijo, projected that the total number of migrants reaching the Spanish archipelago could reach 70,000 by the end of the year, nearly doubling the record 39,910 arrivals in 2022.

This influx of migrants is primarily driven by extreme poverty and political instability in Africa's Sahel region.

The dangerous nature of these sea crossings is underscored by the fact that the deadliest recorded shipwreck in the roughly 30-year history of migrant crossings from West Africa to the Canaries occurred in 2009 off Lanzarote, claiming 25 lives. The recent tragedy near El Hierro may surpass this grim record.