The migrant rescue ship of the Spanish humanitarian NGO Open Arms will be based for two months in the country's Canary Islands to raise awareness about the "reality of the Atlantic migration route" from the North African coasts to the archipelago.

It will also work to counter "racist and xenophobic speech that is growing and that unfortunately is taking root in society," said Open Arms founder and director Oscar Camps in statements to the media in the Tenerife port during a visit by Canary Islands regional governor Fernando Clavijo to the NGO ship on August 28.

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NGO initiatives in archipelago

During the two months, the NGO will be involved in several initiatives in the archipelago, including school trips and open days, in line with an agreement signed with the Canary Islands regional government.

On possible search and rescue operations at sea for migrant victims of shipwrecks, Camps noted that "we are a sea rescue NGO and, if there is a need, we will take action on request."

However, he added, "we will not replace the Coast Guard, just as we did not in the Central Mediterranean."

He also stressed that, compared to the Central Mediterranean route, the Atlantic one is "a much deadlier and harder one, longer and unknown to many" people.

"Behind every person that flees there is not only a conflict, devastated territory, but also a chain of economic and political decisions that placed many people in an impossible place," the Open Arms director said, noting that the effects of climate change also "now force many people to move."

"No one gets onto an overcrowded, fragile boat with their family if staying on land is the safer choice," he said, noting that in the ten years of operations by Open Arms in the Central Mediterranean, a total of 3,500 minors had died: "one every day, starting from the death of the small Alan Kurdi."

The NGO, with its work in "international waters, on land, and in countries of origin" of migration, is trying to raise awareness on an important issue, he noted.

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'Vox attacks a mark of pride'

"Being attacked by the enemies of the world is a medal of honor," he added. "We are here. Here we will continue - against fear and against hatred." This is the message posted on the Open Arms Instagram page on Aug. 29 in response to a post the previous day on the X social media platform by far-right Vox leader Santiago Abascal in which he called for the "confiscating and sinking" of the Open Arms ship and used a racist epithet.

In photos of search and rescue operations by the Open Arms ship, the NGO noted that "our vessels have saved the lives of over 700,000 people" and that the words used to insult the NGO by the far-right politician were "an insult to the truth and indecent".

In another photo of saving migrants at sea, the NGO said that its vessels are "strong but our spirit is unsinkable."

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