Migrant landings recorded on the Canary Islands have recently increased, with some 1,800 arrivals in the first 15 days of this month, according to data released by the Spanish interior ministry on Monday, June 17.
A reported 1,800 migrants landed on the Canary Islands between June 1 and 15, with arrivals from Africa increasing after a few calm weeks, according to data released on June 17 by the Spanish interior ministry.
With the latest arrivals, the overall number of migrants who reached the Spanish archipelago in the Atlantic from the beginning of 2024 rose to 18,977, or 78.5% of the total number of people who entered Spain irregularly over the same period.
Also read: Canary Islands overwhelmed by increase in arrivals
5,000 died traveling from Africa to Spain in 2024, Caminando Fronteras
According to figures published last week by Caminando Fronteras, an NGO specializing in rescue operations along migration routes between Africa and Spain, at least 5,054 people have died or have been reported missing during these crossings since the beginning of 2024.
"It is a much higher figure than the one registered over the same period last year," the report said. Victims of these tragedies -- including 4,808 who were attempting to reach the Canary Islands -- included 154 women and 50 children, the same source noted.
"We cannot consider these figures as normal, and this is why we have to ask different countries to prioritize the respect of sea rescue protocols and the defence of the right to live over measures to control immigration," stated Helena Maleno, coordinator of the research carried out by the NGO.
"It isn't that complicated, you just don't let people die along the borders", she stressed.
According to the interior ministry, 20,854 migrants have reached Spain between January and May 2024. Landings were up 136.7% compared to the same period last year.
Also read: Migrant arrivals to Spain up 277%
Spain at the bottom of EU ranking for accepted asylum requests, CEAR
Spain is "at the bottom" of a ranking of European countries for the percentage of asylum requests it accepted in 2023 (12%), according to the Spanish Commission for Refugee Aid (Comisión Española de Ayuda al Refugiado, CEAR), a Spanish NGO operating in this field.
In its annual report on the situation of refugees and asylum seekers in Spain and in Europe, CEAR stressed that, based on official data, Spain ranked third in the EU in terms of asylum requests it received (163,220), behind Germany and France and ahead of Italy (which recorded 135,815 applications).
The average percentage in the EU of accepted protection requests was 41.8%.
In Spain, according to CEAR, "grave problems" persist in the access granted to asylum procedures, due in particular to the "low number" and "unpredictability" of appointments to present the applications.