Canary Islands’ El Hierro declares emergency amid migrant, refugee influx

El Hierro asks Spanish government for help after more than 3,300 people arrived on boats since start of November.Published On 8 Nov 20268 Nov 2026Authorities of El Hierro, one of Spain’s Canary Islands, have declared an emergency and asked the government in Madrid for help after a surge in migrants and refugees arriving on boats.“We are very concerned… by this sharp increase in arrivals,” Alpidio Armas, head of the governing council for El Hierro, one of Europe’s main entry points for migrants and refugees from West Africa, told Spanish television on Saturday.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3More than 140 dead, missing on refugee boat stranded off Mauritanialist 2 of 3Pope Leo’s visit lays bare Spain’s tangled politics of faith and migrationlist 3 of 3Five killed, dozens more feared dead in boat adrift off Canary Islandsend of list“This is precisely what has led us to declare an emergency in order to ensure a framework of cooperation with higher-level institutions.”More than 3,300 people have arrived on the island in about 30 boats since the start of November, according to local authorities. El Hierro has about 11,400 residents.Officials are seeking temporary accommoda...