The increase in arrivals of hundreds of people that has been occurring for days is posing major problems to the Canary Islands and especially to the small island of El Hierro. Today alone, a total of 518 migrants traveling in six boats off the coast of the Spanish Atlantic archipelago were rescued, the Spanish maritime rescue service reported.
It stated that 277 of these migrants were taken to a safe location near El Hierro and then taken to the island. This means that the number of people arriving irregularly in El Hierro since Tuesday has increased to almost 1,500. The island has a good 11,000 inhabitants and, according to its own statements, is unable to cope with such an influx. Some media are already talking about the “Spanish Lampedusa”.
The vast majority of refugees come from countries south of the Sahara, it was said. The increase in arrivals to the Canary Islands is believed to be linked to the political and social crisis in Senegal.
The situation is “unsustainable”, the Prime Minister of the Canaries, Fernando Clavijo, said on Friday to the Antena 3 television channel. The conservative politician accused the left-wing central government of inaction. “We are stunned and perplexed by the silence of a Spanish government that appears completely indifferent to developments related to migration and the pressures facing all of the Canary Islands,” he said.