Spain Rescues 854 Migrants off El Hierro as Canary Islands Face Pressure on Reception Centres

Spanish maritime rescue teams brought 854 migrants ashore from seven small fishing boats off the Canary Island of El Hierro on Friday, as authorities prepared to transfer around 700 people to Tenerife to ease pressure on local reception facilities.

The migrants were escorted to the harbour of La Restinga, in the municipality of El Pinar, where they received initial medical and humanitarian assistance. Several people required hospital treatment, while nine migrants rescued in recent days remained at Nuestra Señora de los Reyes Hospital with various health problems.

Spain’s Maritime Rescue Service, Salvamento Marítimo, deployed three vessels for the operation: Salvamar Navia, Diphda and Mizar. The first boat was located about four miles from La Restinga and reached the harbour at approximately 1am carrying 134 people.

Six further vessels arrived at intervals throughout the morning. The second boat docked at 4.45am with 174 people, followed 15 minutes later by another carrying 166 migrants.

The largest vessel arrived at 8.30am with 235 people on board. A fifth boat brought 54 people ashore at around 9am, while a sixth arrived at approximately 10.15am carrying 39. The final vessel reached the harbour at 12.30pm with 52 people.

Of the 854 people rescued, 350 were transferred to Tenerife on the scheduled morning ferry. Authorities planned to move another 350 on the afternoon crossing, leaving fewer people for local services on El Hierro to accommodate.

Health and emergency services said those rescued were of sub-Saharan African origin. Most were men, although women and minors were also among the passengers. Their departure points and specific nationalities had not been established.

The operation involved the Red Cross Immediate Emergency Response Team, the Canary Islands Emergency Service, port security personnel, the Civil Guard and the National Police.

After receiving initial assistance, the migrants were taken to the Temporary Foreign Nationals Reception Centre in San Andrés, within the municipality of Valverde. The non-governmental organisation Corazón Naranja-Ebrima Sonko was expected to provide support while they remained in police custody pending transfer to other reception facilities.

Further arrivals reported on other islands

The rescue operation followed additional migrant arrivals elsewhere in the Canary Islands.

At around 10pm on Thursday, Salvamento Marítimo brought an unconfirmed number of people ashore at Arguineguín, on the southern coast of Gran Canaria, after rescuing them at sea.

On Lanzarote, two groups arrived between 9pm on Thursday and 8.30am on Friday. The first consisted of 27 men of North African origin travelling in a small boat. A second group of 61 people was also brought ashore.

The latest arrivals add to the pressure on reception services across the archipelago, where authorities continue to coordinate rescues, medical assistance and transfers between islands.