Tenerife, Spain – Spanish authorities are bracing for a significant increase in migrants from Africa crossing to the Canary Islands. The regional leader, Fernando Clavijo, warned that as many as 150,000 more migrants could arrive this year, adding to the over 20,000 who have already made the perilous journey.
Clavijo said that charity groups working with migrants have reported that around 150,000 people, many fleeing armed conflict in Mali, are preparing to cross to Mauritania and then by boat to the Canary Islands.
On Friday, a boat carrying 173 migrants was rescued near El Hierro, with one person losing their life during the crossing.
In response to the crisis, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez will embark on a tour of West African countries to support local efforts to contain illegal migration. Clavijo called for intensified diplomatic pressure on departure countries from European and Spanish authorities.
The route from Africa to the Canary Islands has seen a 154% surge in migrants this year, with over 21,000 crossings in the first seven months. Thousands have lost their lives at sea during the journey.
Clavijo said that the Canary Islands cannot handle the pressure alone and urged political parties to amend the law on migration to allow transfers of thousands of underage migrants to mainland Spain. He added that transferring the minors to regions with better living conditions is preferable to expanding the Canary Islands’ reception capabilities.
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