After a record number of migrants arrived in the Canary Islands last year, almost 400 people were rescued on Monday, Euronews reports.
Most of the 389 migrants were men, but local authorities said there were also 46 women and five minors among them. Five of the rescued boats were bound for Lanzarote and two were bound for the island of El Hierro.
The migrants were taken to the Spanish port of Los Cristianos after being rescued by sea and air crews, emergency officials said.
More than 43,000 migrants arrived in the Canary Islands in 2024, a record high. Last year saw a turn to the right in European politics – especially after the EU elections in June.
Consequently, many EU member states have begun to update their migration policies, just at a time when migration is high on the European Council’s agenda.
In a letter to EU member states, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen suggested speeding up the return of asylum seekers and opening detention centres in third countries, following the precedent set by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in an agreement with Albania.
Meanwhile, last year the Spanish government announced the opening of an emergency reception centre at Ciudad Real airport to handle asylum requests from illegal arrivals.
