Between 1 and 6 November, 49 boats carrying a total of 4,587 migrants arrived in the Canary Islands, according to the regional government. This is reported by Euronews.
The President of the Canary Islands has announced that Spain’s Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, has agreed to convene an emergency meeting of the inter-ministerial immigration commission on Tuesday to address the mounting pressure facing the island of El Hierro following the recent rise in the number of migrants arriving.
Fernando Clavijo said he had briefed the Prime Minister on the seriousness of the situation on the island and the growing discontent amongst residents.
Between 1 and 6 November, 49 boats carrying a total of 4,587 migrants arrived in the Canary Islands, according to the regional government.
Of these, 35 reached El Hierro, where the authorities say the strain on local resources is ‘extraordinary’.
Clavijo said that for several months the Canary Islands have been calling for additional resources, better planning and a coordinated response from the Spanish government to deal with the situation.
Spanish police fear that Islamic terrorists are hiding amongst the migrants granted amnesty
“This meeting must serve to reach an agreement, between both governments and the relevant ministries, on a joint action plan, with concrete, accountable measures and deadlines for implementation,” Clavijo wrote in a social media post. “We cannot continue to act only once the situation has deteriorated.”
He said he had also requested “urgent meetings” with the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the European Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration, Magnus Brunner.
“The Canary Islands cannot continue to face, practically on their own, a situation that requires the involvement of the Spanish government and Europe,” Clavijo added.
Canariavisen reports that, according to the UN Migration Agency’s annual report for 2025, more than 1,200 migrants were confirmed dead on the Atlantic route from West Africa to the Canary Islands in 2025.
The route between West Africa and the Canary Islands is considered one of the world’s most dangerous.
