Sub-Saharan migrants disembark in the Canary Islands after being rescued at sea on June 17, 2021. Photo: Europa Press via Getty Images
The Spanish coast guard rescued 45 migrants off the coast of one of Spain's Canary Islands on Sunday, Reuters reports.
Why it matters: Dangerous crossings from Africa to the islands' archipelago have been increasing exponentially the past few years, per Reuters.
- More than 5,500 migrants have made the journey in 2021, "over twice as many as in the same period in 2020," according to Reuters.
- From 2019 to 2020, there was an eightfold increase in migrant crossings to the islands.
The big picture: The 45 Sub-Saharan African migrants rescued Sunday included 24 women and eight children, per Reuters.
- They were spotted by a larger ship about 38 miles off the coast of Gran Canaria.
Of note: Human Rights groups have criticized the conditions of migrant facilities in which many arriving to the Canary Islands must stay.
- A November 2020 report by Human Rights Watch called on Spanish authorities to "immediately alleviate overcrowded and unsanitary conditions" in one of Gran Canaria's facilities.