Key facts
- Clavijo said calm sea conditions were driving the increase in departures toward the islands.
- Clavijo said arrivals were straining healthcare and transport, with buses diverted and medical staff brought in from other islands.
- At least nine migrants have died off the Canary Islands in recent weeks, and a critically ill baby was airlifted to hospital on arrival.
- Migrant arrivals were down nearly 61% in the first 10 months of 2026 versus the same period of 2024, per Reuters.
- El Hierro, one of Europe's key entry points for migrants from West Africa, has about 11,400 residents.
Spain's maritime rescue service rescued 3,261 migrants in the first six days of November, Reuters reported, and Canary Islands regional leader Fernando Clavijo said on November 6 that the numbers arriving were unsustainable. Clavijo said the flow was approaching the record levels seen in 2024 and that on some days the current pace was higher.
In El Hierro, home to about 11,400 residents and one of Europe's key entry points for migrants arriving from West Africa, Clavijo said the situation was "absolutely unsustainable". Reuters footage showed hundreds of migrants at the port of La Restinga on El Hierro after the rescue service picked up about 500 people from two boats on the night of November 5 and recovered one body.
At least nine migrants have died off the Canary Islands in recent weeks, and a critically ill baby was airlifted to hospital on arrival, while thousands of others have been rescued. The Atlantic route from West Africa to the Canary Islands is one of the world's deadliest migration crossings, with thousands attempting the journey each year in overcrowded boats despite rough seas, strong currents and long distances.
Attempted crossings typically pick up in the autumn months, when sea conditions along the route are generally calmer. Clavijo said calm seas were driving the increase in departures. He said arrivals were straining healthcare and transport services, with buses diverted to migration operations and medical staff brought in from other islands to La Restinga.
Migrant arrivals were still down nearly 61% in the first 10 months of 2026 versus the same period of 2024, according to Reuters.