More than 500 migrants arrive on Spanish Canary Islands in 1 day. One boat carried 280 people

MADRID (AP) — Emergency services on the Spanish Canary Islands say more than 500 migrants reached there in four large wooden boats in a span of 24 hours earlier this week. One of the boats arriving on Tuesday was carrying 280 migrants. The state news agency EFE says it was the largest number in a single boat since migrants began to use the Canary Island route in 1994. Hundreds of other migrants were intercepted trying to reach other islands in the archipelago and elsewhere on mainland Spain in recent days. Spain’s Interior Ministry says nearly 15,000 migrants reached the Canary Islands by boat from Jan 1 to Sept 30, 2023. That’s a 20% increase from same period last year. Most departed from Senegal.