Record immigration day in El Hierro as 1,488 arrive in Canary Islands

On Saturday, 14 November, 12 large wooden boats arrived in El Hierro carrying 1,235 people. Another 203 people on a boat were intercepted in Gran Canaria. 50 others arrived on a vessel in Tenerife.The total number, 1,488 people, is a record high for the Canary Islands since 33 small boats and large canoes carrying 1,461 people arrived on 7 November 2020. There were 108 women and 167 minors among yesterday’s arrivals, according to provisional data.Saturday’s figures do not include two rescue operations still under way or the 122 people travelling in a large canoe that reached La Restinga at 23:55 on Friday. 843 people arrived in 8 boats. The total for the two days is 2,331 people on 22 boats.A migration system at breaking pointThe operation deployed six Maritime Rescue vessels (Diphda, Acrux, Navia, Alpheratz, Mizar and Urania) and two Civil Guard patrol boats (Río Tajo and Río Guadiato).As of Saturday, there were 317 people at El Hierro’s Temporary Foreigners’ Reception Centre (CATE) , not counting the latest arrivals. 158 people were transferred to Tenerife on the regular ferry service. Eleven people from previous arrivals remain in hospital at Nuestra Señora de los Reyes Island Hospital.The Canary Islands president, Fernando Clavijo, said that the consistent arrival of boats this month has completely overwhelmed the island’s resources.