The New Year has got off to the worst possible start following on from a record-breaking 2023 when more than 40,000 sub-Africans tried to reach the islands.
Many of the new arrivals were towed into holiday hotspots, including in Tenerife.
The authorities estimate that at least 40 bodies were thrown into the sea after perishing en route during the 15-day crossing.
During New Year’s Eve and the first day of the new year, five boats arrived in the islands with a total of 256 people. The Minister of Migration, Elma Saiz, is due to visit Tenerife today.
The 256 people of Maghreb and sub-Saharan origin disembarked in Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura and El Hierro.
One of the cayuco boats had left Mauritania and was located on Saturday adrift by a catamaran 170 miles south of El Hierro. Inside there were 15 people and three bodies.
All those rescued are men and such was the state they were in that, according to some health workers who assisted them, they could not speak a word.
The survivors said their companions were dying and confirmed between 30 and 40 bodies had to be thrown into the ocean.
Two Maritime Rescue helicopters were able to rescue the survivors and took them to El Hierro, where they received medical care and two of them required hospitalisation. Another cayuco arrived yesterday under its own power to Las Galletas, south of Tenerife, with 32 occupants. One needed hospital treatment for minor injuries.
The Salvamar Alpheratz went to the scene to take them to the tourist resort of Los Cristianos.
The last rescue device deployed in 2023 in Canarian waters was carried out by Salvamar Macondo Maritime Rescue. Just after 10pm, the crew detected a vessel 22.2 kilometres south of Gran Canaria and occupied by 45 sub-Saharan men.
On their arrival at the Arguineguín dock, they were given medical treatment. After 3am, another group of 13 people, men of Maghreb origin, arrived at the same dock in a tiny boat. It was spotted 7.4 kilometres from Pájara.
At around 2am, the Civil Guard detected 20.4 kilometres from Arguineguín, another canoe with 109 people and at noon yesterday, Maritime Rescue intervened another canoe with 32 sub-Saharans sighted 5.5 kilometres from the southern coast of El Hierro to the port of La Restinga.
The emergency services have confirmed that among the new arrivals were at least two babies and one young child.
The Canary government has been calling for urgent action to halt the flow of migrants, with 2023 being described as the worst possible year.
