During the period from January 1st to January 31st, a total of 7,270 irregular immigrants arrived in the Canary Islands by boat, surpassing the figure for the first six months of 2023, which was 7,213.
The overall influx to Spanish shores in the first month of 2024 reached 8,067 individuals, marking a significant increase of 524% compared to the same period in 2023 when there were 1,292 arrivals.
Specifically, 7,974 migrants entered in January via maritime routes, a substantial surge of 561% or 6,769 more people compared to January 2023, when the count was 1,205. These arrivals came in 166 makeshift vessels, which is 80 more than the previous year, almost double.
Of the total migrants who arrived by sea, 7,270 reached the Canary Islands, showcasing a staggering growth of 1,184% (6,704 more) compared to the same month last year, when there were 566 arrivals. These people arrived on 110 ‘cayucos’ compared to 14 in January 2023.
Meanwhile, just 703 migrants arrived in mainland Spain and the Balearic Islands via maritime routes, reflecting a 12.7% increase from 2023 when there were 624. This was done in 55 boats, 13 less than in January 2023.
