In the past 24 hours, a total of 55 migrants have been intercepted off the coast of the Balearic Islands, arriving by boat. The first group of 20 people, all of North African origin and reported to be in good health, was intercepted near the Punta Roja area in Formentera around 4:30 p.m. on Sunday.
According to a statement from the Government Delegation on Monday, the operation involved multiple units, including the Guardia Civil Maritime Service, Maritime Rescue, Guardia Civil Citizen Security Units, and a helicopter.
Just an hour later, at 5:20 p.m., another group of 22 migrants, also of North African origin, was intercepted in the same area. The same security forces and resources were deployed to manage the situation.
Earlier today, in the early hours of the morning, 13 more migrants were intercepted near the town of La Mola, Formentera. Meanwhile, off the Canary Islands, over 230 migrants were rescued from a single boat on Sunday. The vessel, described as flimsy, was found at sea with 231 people aboard, including 14 women and three children, coastguards reported.
This marks the largest number of people rescued from a single boat near Gran Canaria this year. The boat was discovered near the island’s main port and towed to safety by Spanish coastguards.
According to government data, 32,878 migrants made the dangerous journey from West Africa to the Canary Islands between January and October 15, reflecting a 39.7% increase from the same period last year. The Atlantic route to the Canary Islands has seen rapid growth in irregular migration in recent years, although the number of arrivals remains lower than those on the Central Mediterranean route toward Italy.
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