The Red Cross, which was assisting with the migrants’ treatment, reported that a wooden boat that arrived on the island of El Hierro marked a record number of arrivals in a single boat. The previous record was set by a boat carrying 271 people that arrived in El Hierro on October 3.
On Saturday, there were 783 arrivals in El Hierro, 98 in Tenerife, and 150 in Gran Canaria, according to the Red Cross. The passengers on these boats included women and small children. In Gran Canaria, the coast guard towed a wooden boat carrying migrants, including a toddler, into the port of Arguineguin. Wooden boats from previous arrivals were docked in the port.
The seven islands of the Atlantic archipelago have become the main destination for migrants trying to reach Spain, and this year has seen an increase in attempted crossings from Senegal and other African countries.
Between January 1 and October 15 this year, the islands received 23,537 migrants, an 80% increase from the same period last year according to official data.
At least 1,000 people have died attempting the crossing so far this year, according to the Walking Borders charity.
Spain’s acting migration minister pledged an aid package worth 50 million euros ($53 million) on October 19 to help the Canary Islands cope with an “extraordinary migration flow.”
