Migrant flood hits Spain’s Balearic islands: 351 arrive in just 48 hours

THE Balearic Islands faced another wave of migrant arrivals, as 351 people reached the archipelago in 20 separate pateras within 48 hours.

The latest boat, carrying 20 passengers, was spotted late Thursday night off the southeast coast of Cabrera.

Earlier in the day, a boat with 22 North African migrants landed at Migjorn beach in Formentera, while another carrying 26 sub-Saharan passengers was found at Cala Pi in Mallorca’s Llucmajor municipality, officials confirmed.

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The Civil Guard and Maritime Rescue services also pulled 13 North African migrants from a boat southeast of Cabrera around 1pm, hours before the final patera was located.

This surge follows a record Wednesday when 257 migrants arrived in 16 boats, highlighting the ongoing pressure on the islands.

So far this year, 4,316 people have reached the Balearics via 230 boats, according to government figures. By comparison, 5,882 migrants arrived in 2024, according to the Ministry of Interior’s Annual National Security Report.

Local authorities continue to warn of an ‘unsustainable situation’ as the islands struggle to cope with the steady influx of people arriving by sea.

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