Madar (Nouakchott) - The weekend saw heavy traffic on the Atlantic migration route to the Canary Islands: Mauritania's navy rescued 134 migrants off Nouadhibou on Saturday, October 31, 2026, while 453 people reached the Spanish archipelago aboard four boats between Saturday evening and Sunday morning, November 1.
According to an army statement, the navy intercepted a smuggling boat off Nouadhibou heading for the Canaries with 134 people of several nationalities aboard: 118 men, 14 women and two children. The army said the operation was part of its mission to protect lives at sea, counter irregular migration and pursue smuggling networks.
On the Spanish side, maritime rescue services saved 453 migrants near Gran Canaria and El Hierro, Europa Press reported: a boat 6 miles off Gran Canaria on Saturday evening with about 56 people including 3 women and a minor, two boats 12 miles from La Restinga port carrying 114 and 193 people including 18 women and 13 minors, and a fourth boat on Sunday morning with about 90 people.
The agency said all passengers on the first three boats were of sub-Saharan origin. No deaths were reported and the boats' departure points were not given.
The figures follow the arrival of 434 migrants in a single day and four deaths at El Hierro the previous weekend, with more than 4,000 people reaching the archipelago in October according to a provisional Canary Islands government count, keeping Mauritania's coast, and Nouadhibou in particular, at the heart of the route.
