Ben Pawlowski
TOURISTS were left shocked on Sunday after boats carrying over 40 migrants made landfall on a popular beach in Andalucia.
Videos circulating on social media appeared to show dozens of migrants jumping off a boat that had brought them to shore at Roquetas de Mar, a busy tourist resort in Almeria.
According to local media sources, some of the arrivals were treated by local medical officials after displaying symptoms of hypothermia.
The majority of migrants who arrive on Spanish shores by boat do so via the Canary Islands from poverty-stricken Mauritania, widely regarded as the world’s deadliest migration route.
Spain’s interior ministry reported that a record 55,618 migrants made the desperate journey in 2023 – almost double the number of 2022.
More than 6,600 people who attempted to reach Spain last year lost their lives.
Far-right Vox were quick to comment on the crossings, tweeting: “The migratory invasion does not stop”.
“Between those that Pedro Sanchez brings from the Canaries and those that attack our borders, Andalucia is condemned to suffer the nasty consequences of illegal immigration. Immediate expulsion for all of them!”.
READ MORE:
- Overwhelmed: Spain’s Canary Islands receive more migrants in January 2024 than the first six months of 2023 combined
- Revealed: The areas in Spain which welcome the most immigrants, according to latest official data
- Tragedy at sea: More than 6,600 migrants died in 2023 trying to reach Spain’s shores
