El Hierro officials declare emergency as boat arrivals surge
Local leaders on the Spanish island have requested aid from Madrid after more than 3,300 migrants and refugees arrived in early November.
By Scott Marshall ·
The small island of El Hierro is struggling to absorb a sudden wave of arrivals from West Africa.
Alpidio Armas, the head of the local governing council, announced the emergency state on Saturday while speaking to Spanish television. He cited a sharp rise in the number of people coming to shore as the primary driver for the decision. Armas stated that the declaration is intended to create a framework for cooperation with higher-level government institutions.
Local authorities reported that more than 3,300 people have reached the island in approximately 30 boats since November began. The island’s total resident population is roughly 11,400. Officials are currently searching for temporary housing for the new arrivals. Armas described the conditions at the local hospital as undesirable due to the strain on resources.
Fernando Clavijo, the regional leader for the Canary Islands, called the situation absolutely unsustainable on Friday. He noted that the current numbers are approaching the record levels set in 2024, with some days seeing a higher pace than that. Maritime rescue services reported pulling 3,261 migrants and refugees from the water in the first six days of the month.
To manage the influx, Clajo said that buses have been diverted to support migration operations. Medical staff have also been transferred from neighboring islands to assist local facilities.
The Atlantic crossing from West Africa remains one of the deadliest migration routes in the world. AFP news agency reported that two people were found dead on a boat heading to the Canaries this week. Survivor accounts suggest five others died during the voyage. At least nine migrants or refugees have died off the islands in recent weeks.
Spain’s Ministry of the Interior recorded 13,327 irregular sea arrivals between January and October. This figure is 5.5 percent lower than the same period last year. Patrols in Senegal, Mauritania, and Morocco have pushed departures further south toward The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, and Guinea. Senegalese police intercepted 142 migrants, including women and young children, off Dakar on Saturday.
