El Hierro declares state of emergency after more than 3.300 migrants arrive in a week
Island authorities requested help from Madrid after roughly 30 boats brought migrants since the start of November, straining services on an island of about 11.400 people.
Authorities on the Canary Island of El Hierro declared a state of emergency and appealed to the Spanish central government in Madrid after more than 3.300 migrants arrived on the island within a single week.
Officials report that, since the start of November, roughly 30 boats carrying migrants and refugees from West Africa have reached El Hierro. The island’s permanent population is about 11.400 residents, magnifying the strain on local services.
Local leaders warn that accommodation capacity is nearly exhausted. The island’s hospital and emergency services have recorded an uptick in interventions as they cope with the arrivals and the immediate medical needs of newly arrived people.
Official rescue figures
Regional authorities have requested extra funding and operational support from Madrid to organise temporary housing and provide medical care for the newcomers. The appeal seeks rapid deployment of resources to relieve overwhelmed local facilities.
According to official data, rescue services recovered 3.261 migrants from the sea near the Canary Islands in the first six days of November. That figure underlines the scale of crossings on a route that aid agencies and governments consider extremely hazardous.
The Atlantic route from West Africa to Spain is regarded as one of the world’s most dangerous migration corridors, with frequent small-boat departures and repeated rescue operations in often treacherous conditions.
Photo: press material from the event
