At least 249 migrants have arrived irregularly in the Canary Islands (117) and the Balearic Islands (132) since Monday, April 7, according to a count carried out by Europa Press.
In this regard, this Friday, Salvamento Marítimo intercepted a boat with 41 migrants on board three miles south of Las Galletas, on the island of Tenerife. Among the people aboard the boat were five women and a minor.
Likewise, 71 migrants arrived on Wednesday at the port of La Restinga, on the island of El Hierro. The boat was located about three miles south of the island, and the Salvamar Adhara accompanied it to the dock under safe conditions for disembarkation.
On Tuesday, 63 people arrived irregularly in the Balearic Islands. Specifically, a total of 22 people of Sub-Saharan origin arrived in a small boat in Colònia de Sant Jordi (Mallorca), 16 of Maghreb origin in the south of the island of Formentera, and 25 of Sub-Saharan origin also in waters southeast of Cabrera.
On the other hand, Salvamento Marítimo and the Maritime Service of the Civil Guard rescued 69 migrants who arrived aboard three boats in the waters of Cabrera on Monday.
Also on Monday, Salvamento Marítimo intercepted a boat with five migrants in waters near the coast of El Hierro. They arrived at the port of La Restinga, where they were assisted by the health service in the area, composed of personnel from the Canarian Emergency Service (SUC), Primary Care, and Red Cross.
Nearly 12,000 migrants (11,998) have arrived irregularly in Spain from January 1 to March 31, 2025, which is a 25.8% decrease compared to the same period in 2024, according to the latest report from the Ministry of the Interior, as reported by Europa Press.
Regarding the Canary Islands, up to March 31 this year, 9,424 migrants have entered the archipelago, a 28% decrease compared to those who arrived in the same period in 2024. This year, they arrived aboard 145 boats, a 27.5% decrease from 2024, with 200 boats.
Meanwhile, 2,181 migrants have arrived by sea to the Peninsula and the Balearic Islands, which is a 3.5% decrease compared to the same period in 2024, when 2,259 arrived. In this case, they arrived on 133 boats, 21 fewer than the previous year.
CAEN LAS LLEGADAS A LA UE DURANTE EL PRIMER TRIMESTRE DEL AÑO
Finally, the number of irregular arrivals to the European Union during the first quarter of this year decreased by 31% compared to the previous year, with decreases in all entry routes, including the Canary Islands, which is the second most transited, according to the latest figures provided by the European border control agency (Frontex).
Thus, between January and March 2025, a total of 9,205 people arrived irregularly in the Canary Islands –3,088 in March alone–, which according to Frontex represents a 30% decrease from the previous year. The main nationalities of the received migrants were from Afghanistan, Egypt, and Sudan.
There was also an 18% decrease in arrivals to the Iberian Peninsula via the western Mediterranean route, which recorded 2,538 arrivals –539 of them in March–, that is, an 18% decrease.