Seven dead as migrant boats rescued near Canary Islands

Seven dead as migrant boats rescued near Canary Islands Canary Islands President Fernando Clavijo said that the Atlantic route is ‘once again claiming lives’ - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments Become an Independent member to bookmark this article Already a member? Log in At least seven people have died off Spain’s Canary Islands while more than 380 people were rescued, the country’s maritime rescue services have confirmed. On Monday, two deceased people were found aboard a migrant boat when the coast guard rescued 132 people, around 94 miles off the coast of Lanzarote. During the same journey, five other migrants had died. Another 250 migrants were rescued by coast guard boats off Lanzarote and the island of El Hierro earlier on Monday. It comes after 107 migrants were rescued on Sunday off El Hierro, according to authorities. ‘The Atlantic route is once again claiming lives’ “The worst forecasts are coming true,” Canary Islands President Fernando Clavijo wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter). “The Atlantic route is once again claiming lives, this time off the coast of Lanzarote. Behind each one is a life, a story, and a family.” The route from West Africa to the Spanish-owned archipelago is considered one of the world’s deadliest migration crossings. Every year, thousands of migrants attempt the journey in overcrowded boats – risking rough seas and strong currents to reach Spanish territory. Arrivals tend to increase in the autumn months due to improvements in sea conditions. So far this year, migrant arrivals have dropped in comparison to the same period in 2025, but crossings jumped sharply in October. Experts warn additional pressure is being put on emergency services, particularly on the smaller and less populated islands. Migration to Canary Islands falls Migrant arrivals in the archipelago have fallen 18 per cent year on year to 11,527 people, according to the office of the Spanish government's representative in the Canary Islands. On 27 October, Spain garnered heavy backlash after announcing it had sent more than a dozen migrants who reached the enclave of Ceuta back to Morocco after rejecting their asylum claim. Official numbers or nationalities were not confirmed, but migrant and rights charities operating in Ceuta said, “16 people from Senegal, Nigeria, Yemen, Cameroon and Bangladesh were deported”. A number of NGOs slammed the move, arguing that Morocco does “not respect human rights” and that such returns fail to consider the country’s treatment of migrants from other countries. A spokesperson for Spain’s Interior Ministry said that Morocco is considered by the European Union to be a safe country, and that deportations are carried out “with all the necessary safeguards”. No further details were provided. Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments