Canary Islands continues to receive high volume of irregular migrants from North Africa

MADRID (AA) - Spain's Canary Islands received 550 irregular migrants in the past 24 hours as part of an ongoing high volume of arrivals from North Africa.

Four boats were reported to have transported the migrants to Tenerife and Gran Canaria, two of the Canary Islands' popular destinations.

The Spanish Coast Guard released information detailing the arrivals, saying that boats carrying 187, 164, 134 and 65 migrants made the perilous journey from North Africa.

The migrants were reportedly in generally good health, although two of them required medical attention and were promptly taken to a hospital for treatment.

The surge in irregular migrant arrivals is part of a larger trend, with data from Spain’s Interior Ministry indicating that between Jan. 1 and Aug. 31, a staggering 11,459 irregular migrants reached the Canary Islands.

The situation escalated significantly in August, with a threefold increase in arrivals compared to the same period in 2022.

Approximately 3,000 irregular migrants made their way to the islands last month alone, prompting concerns about a strain on resources and facilities.