Spanish authorities rescue 582 migrants near Canary Islands

Salvamento Marítimo and the Guardia Civil rescued 582 people from six precarious boats near the Canary Islands in Spain on Saturday.

The Las Palmas Control Center coordinated the rescue of a rubber boat carrying 133 migrants, including 10 women and 5 minors, near the island of Lanzarote. This vessel was the most overcrowded boat recorded on the Canary migration route to date. The crew delivered the passengers to the port of Arrecife.

In the Tenerife area, authorities escorted two small boats located about 20.3 kilometers from La Restinga on the island of El Hierro. These boats carried 44 and 68 people respectively and arrived at the port of La Estaca. Additionally, rescuers saved three other boats carrying 67, 106, and 164 people, who were then taken to the port of La Restinga. The Spanish government scheduled a meeting for the Interministerial Immigration Commission on November 10 to address the increase in migration.

Minister of Territorial Policy and Democratic Memory Ángel Víctor Torres said representatives from all administrations will meet to analyze current measures and decide on new joint actions. This meeting follows a week where more than 2,300 people were rescued near the island.