Around 2,200 migrants have arrived in Spain's Canary Islands by boat over the past two days, according to Spain's Maritime Rescue and Safety Service, Report informs via the Associated Press (AP).
According to the service, 1,324 migrants aboard 14 boats were assisted. Most of them reached the island of El Hierro. This figure approaches the daily record of 1,461 people recorded on November 7, 2020.
Located off the northwestern coast of Africa, the Canary Islands remain one of the main routes for irregular migration to Spain. Most migrants come from West African countries and cross the Atlantic Ocean in small, often unseaworthy boats.
According to Spain's Ministry of the Interior, more than 28,000 migrants arrived in the country by sea between January and October this year. More than 13,000 of them reached the Canary Islands.
The Atlantic route between West Africa and the Canary Islands is considered one of the world's most dangerous migration routes. Although the closest point on the African coast is approximately 105 kilometres from the archipelago, migrants often take longer routes to avoid encountering border patrols. The journey can last several days or even weeks. Mauritania remains the main point of departure.