The Spanish Maritime Search and Rescue Services (SASEMAR) announced today that 366 illegal migrants arrived on Spanish territory on the first day of 2025. Of these, 268 arrived in the Canary Islands and 98 in the Balearic Islands.

Two people were found dead in a boat carrying migrants in Tenerife yesterday (Wednesday). These are the first migrant deaths officially recorded in 2025 by Spanish authorities.

In the last week of 2024, 1,933 migrants completed the perilous crossing from the northwest coast of Africa to the Canary Islands, a distance of more than 100 kilometers.

The Canary Islands authorities have appealed to the government of Madrid and the authorities of Spain’s other 16 autonomous communities to help relocate migrants.

From 1 January to 15 December 2024, a total of 60,126 migrants arrived in Spain, an increase of 14.15% compared to the same period in 2023 (52,591 arrivals). Of these, 43,737 arrived in the Canary Islands, according to data from the Spanish Interior Ministry.