The Canary Islands become the epicenter of a humanitarian crisis that is shaking Europe. The rescue of more than 700 irregular migrants highlights the overwhelming challenges facing the region, without a united front on migration.
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More than 700 migrants traveling on four different boats were rescued near the coast of the Canary Islands in Spain, according to Spanish authorities. There were 247 people on one of the boats, 238 on the other, and 254 each on the other two, according to a publication on X, formerly known as Twitter, made by the official emergency services account of the Canary Islands.
Of the people on board, two were found dead and two others died in a hospital, while another 12 are being treated in hospitals, authorities reported.
The Canary Islands are located off the west coast of Morocco and have witnessed an increase in migrant arrivals in recent years. The journey from Africa to these islands remains dangerous, but milder weather conditions and calmer seas since September have made it more feasible for those seeking a better life or fleeing conflict in their home countries.
According to data from the Spanish Ministry of the Interior, in the first two months of this year, 30,705 undocumented migrants have arrived in this group of islands in the Atlantic Ocean. This figure is close to the annual record recorded in 2006, when 31,678 migrants arrived, since at that time there were no other safe ways to reach Europe. Crossing from Africa to the Canary Islands remains very dangerous, but since September, calmer weather has seen more people attempt the crossing.
Increase in migrant arrivals to the Canary Islands
111% more people ventured on this dangerous journey compared to last year, and this represents the majority of the 43,290 sea arrivals to Spain, an increase of 66%. More than half of the migrants who arrived on the islands were from Senegal, according to official data.
The search for a better future has had tragic consequences, with 313 people registered as dead or missing so far in 2023 in their attempt to reach the Canary Islands, according to the United Nations International Organization for Migration (IOM).
In response to this situation, the Spanish Government announced that it would create emergency accommodation for approximately 3,000 migrants in military barracks, hotels and hostels. This measure seeks to relieve pressure on the islands, as local authorities feel they are not receiving enough support from the central government.
Europe, adrift and without solid migration policies
The number of undocumented immigrants arriving on European shores by sea has increased considerably so far this year. This trend is attributed to a number of factors, such as armed conflict, poverty and the climate crisis.
According to recent data provided by the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), between January and March of this year, more than 36,000 migrants arrived on the Mediterranean coasts. This represents almost double the figure recorded in the same period of the previous year (2022).
In fact, this is the highest number since the refugee crisis that peaked in 2015 and continued in the first months of 2016, when the arrival of more than a million migrants to European shores generated border disputes and chaos and weakened the solidarity of the European Union.
The majority of migrants, more than 98%, have arrived by sea so far this year, in contrast to the 2% who have chosen the land route. This represents the highest percentage of arrivals by sea since 2016, according to the UN. An estimated 522 migrants have lost their lives or gone missing along the way, highlighting the lack of safe and legal routes available for refugees and asylum seekers.
![Migrants wait to disembark from a small boat in La Restinga, on the Canary island of El Hierro, Spain, Saturday, October 21, 2023. Emergency services in the Canary Islands say 314 migrants have arrived on two boats, raising the The number of migrants who have arrived on the islands since Friday has risen to more than 1,600.](https://s.france24.com/media/display/0dded790-7b59-11ee-9c03-005056a90284/AP23296348837452.jpg)
The lack of safe and legal migration corridors available to refugees and asylum seekers has had deadly consequences. Recent examples include the capsizing of boats off the coasts of Tunisia and southern Italy, resulting in dozens of migrants losing their lives. In addition, there were incidents in the English Channel, one of the busiest shipping routes in the world.
The response of European countries to this growing migration crisis has been diverse. Italy has requested help from its European Union partners to repatriate and process migrants, as well as to host those who meet the requirements for refugee status under UNHCR protocols.
Elsewhere in Europe, however, policies to restrict access to borders have been proposed to ease pressure on rich countries, drawing criticism from human rights advocates and opposition lawmakers. .
With Reuters, AP and local media
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