MADRID – The number of migrants reaching Spain by illegal means increased by 73.2% in the first two months of 2022 compared to the same period in 2021.
This was announced by the Spanish Ministry of the Interior. The total number between 1 January and 28 February this year is estimated at 7,319.
Of the 75% of migrants who arrived in Spain in 2022, 5,496 people, came via the Canary Islands. 1,635 migrants arrived via the Balearic and mainland coasts and 53 migrants entered Spain by sea via Ceuta and Melilla.
With the exception of arrivals via Ceuta, which decreased by 72%, the rest of the routes showed an increase. This is compared to the figures of a year earlier.
Striking increases
Notable is the increase in the Canary Islands, where the number of registered migrants has risen from 2,341 in the first two months of last year to over 5,400 in 2022. This represents an increase of 134.8% compared to 2021.
Melilla has also seen a massive increase of 3,400%. This is because last year not a single migrant was registered. However, this year there were 34 between 1 January and 28 February.
Decrease via autonomous cities
On the other hand, the number of arrivals through the borders of Ceuta and Melilla has fallen by 65.3% so far in 2022. For example, in Ceuta, 220 arrivals were recorded between January and February last year, compared to 78 so far in 2022. In Melilla, there were 169 arrivals in the first two months last year; this year, 57 arrivals have been registered so far.
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