Europe’s Migrant Crisis Erupts On Tiny Spanish Island

El Hierro, a Spanish island of about 12,000 residents, declared a social emergency after a sharp rise in migrant arrivals strained local resources. Nearly 6,000 people reached Spain’s Canary Islands in the first ten days of November, most landing on El Hierro, making the surge significant for the small community and prompting calls for government support.

The article says the arrivals exceeded the total recorded across the archipelago from January to mid-September. Migrants came from countries including Senegal, Morocco, Gambia and Mali; some are being moved to mainland Spain, with some potentially relocated to other EU states under the EU Migration Pact. Frontex says autumn sea conditions and smuggling networks adapting to disrupted routes may help explain the increase.