Over 9,000 irregular migrants arrived in Spain this year: Ministry

MADRID

More than 9,000 irregular migrants have arrived in Spain so far this year, according to Interior Ministry data released Wednesday, down 34.9% compared to the same period last year.

The figures show a total of 9,141 people reached Spain irregularly in January and February. Of them, 8,969 arrived via maritime routes on 217 boats.

The Canary Islands saw the bulk of the arrivals – just over 7,000 – marking a 40% drop from the same period in 2024.

However, other maritime migrant routes to the Spanish mainland and the Balearic Islands saw an 18% increase in the first two months of the year.

The Canary Islands route, which involves a dangerous and often deadly journey from the North African coast, is the most popular irregular migration route to Spain.

In 2024, Spain reported the highest number of irregular migrant arrivals on record – 63,970. Nearly 47,000 of those arrived via the Canary Islands route.

A report released in December by the Caminando Fronteras organization estimated that an average of 30 people lost their lives daily while attempting to reach Spain last year.