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Date Published: 09/01/2025

Illegal African migrants arriving to Canary Islands in greater numbers than ever

2024 was a record year for migration along the Canarian route, and already in 2025 thousands have made the perilous crossing to find a better life

The Canary Islands have become the epicentre of a heart-wrenching humanitarian crisis as the new year brings with it a surge of migrant arrivals. Since the start of January, over 2,000 desperate souls have embarked on perilous journeys across the treacherous Atlantic, driven by hope, necessity and survival. Yet behind these numbers lie untold stories of anguish, resilience and death – stories that demand our attention and compassion.

In one harrowing incident, two lives were lost during a fraught crossing, their stories now forever silenced by the indifferent waves. In another, a miracle unfolded: a newborn, whose mother gave birth aboard a flimsy dinghy known as a ‘cayuco’ which was crowded with fellow migrants, was rescued mere minutes after entering the world. The mother, exhausted and vulnerable, was found lying on the raft’s floor while another passenger cradled her infant son.

This year’s arrivals continue the trend of escalating migration via the Atlantic route, one of the world’s deadliest. A staggering 46,843 people arrived in the Canary Islands in 2024, breaking records for the second consecutive year.

Tragically, the human cost is measured not just in lives altered but in lives lost; at least 10,457 migrants perished or disappeared attempting to reach Spain last year, according to the NGO Caminando Fronteras. That’s a 50% increase from 2023, with the rising death toll attributed to dilapidated boats, perilous waters and insufficient rescue resources.

The Spanish archipelago’s emergency services are stretched to breaking point. Ports such as Arrecife in Lanzarote now rely on makeshift measures, including tents and mattresses, to house the unceasing influx of arrivals. Among them are unaccompanied minors, whose plight is particularly dire.

The Canary Islands government has pleaded for a redistribution of these children to other Spanish regions, but progress has been stymied by political infighting and a lack of will in other parts of Spain to receive refugees.

Also of interest: How foreign migration is helping Spain grow a competitive economy

Fernando Clavijo, president of the Canary Islands, has criticised the central government’s inaction, accusing them of neglecting his proposals for relocating minors. Meanwhile, Minister of Territorial Policy Ángel Víctor Torres insists that negotiations are ongoing but admits to doubts about the legality of Clavijo’s suggested measures. As bureaucratic red tape ensnares decision-makers, the children – who should be attending school and integrating into communities – remain stranded, caught in a limbo of uncertainty and neglect.

Image: Salvamento Marítimo