Belgian-flagged boat leaves Senegal with 49 undocumented migrants on board

The Spanish Civil Guard has escorted a Belgian-flagged tugboat to port on the Canary Island of Lanzarote after it departed from Senegal with 49 undocumented migrants on board, Spanish authorities reported.

The boat’s captain alerted authorities to the presence of the stowaways. According to rescue services on Lanzarote, the migrants’ nationalities and the vessel’s intended destination remain unknown.

Under Spanish law, undocumented individuals who do not apply for asylum must be returned to their port of origin by the vessel’s operator.

Despite the extreme danger of the Atlantic crossing from northwest Africa, the Canary Islands remain a key entry point for migrants attempting to reach Spain. In 2024, a record 46,843 migrants arrived in the archipelago, surpassing the previous year’s total. However, the number of arrivals has fallen sharply in recent months compared to the same period in 2023.

Record number of migrants arrived in Canary Islands in 2024

A record 46,843 undocumented migrants arrived in Spain's Canary Islands last year, according to the Spanish Interior ministry. The increase in...

belganewsagency.eu

Thousands of migrants have died on the route in recent years, often travelling aboard overcrowded and unseaworthy vessels.
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^{Spanish Civil Guard © PHOTO JORGE GUERRERO / AFP}

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