Migrant influx catches Canary emergency services off guard
Emergency services and aid organisations in Spain's Canary Islands have been caught unawares by an unprecedented influx of African migrants who have landed in the last week in search of a better life in Europe.
"Two months ago, we worked out what supplies we would need for the next six months based on an estimated two to three boatloads arriving every week. We have already run out of supplies," said Austin Taylor, coordinator for the Red Cross in the Spanish archipeligo.
Taylor said he would have to order fresh supplies of the clothing, blankets and food the Red Cross distributes to migrants who arrive exhausted after several days at sea.
In the past week two to three small boats from Mauritania or Senegal have been arriving daily, rising to 10 on Thursday, when a record 656 immigrants landed on the islands.
The most recent figures are alarming, and with nearly 7,500 illegal immigrants having arrived in the Canaries since January, 2006 is certain to smash the previous annual record of 9,929 arrivals in 2002.
"It is almost like an invasion," said a young volunteer for the emergency services who had just dealt with a group of illegal immigrants newly arrived in Puerto de los Christianos in the south of Tenerife.
"It was unexpected. From the information we had we could not have predicted immigration on such a massive scale. We were prepared for an accident, not for an avalanche like this," said Gerardo Garcia, the local head of the emergency services.
Like those of the Red Cross, his volunteers have responded to the challenge by working impossible hours, some of them barely sleeping more than three or four hours a night.
All the organisations involved have responded quickly: the emergency services seconded 40 people to deal with the arrivals, while the police doubled the number of staff on duty.
"We have mobilised all available human resources," going from the usual 200 officers to 400 on duty at the Playa de las Americans police station, said police chief Luis Carrion, who goes to the port to greet each boat in person.
Carrion said the immigration authorities were making a "huge effort" to ensure all arrivals were processed within the legal time frame of 72 hours, and to send them to the reception centres where they stay for 40 days before being transferred to the mainland.
Tenerife's reception centres are now so full that 600 immigrants had to be transferred to the neighbouring island of Gran Canaria on Friday.
The Spanish government has called on African governments to help stem the tide of illegal immigration, and reinforced maritime and aerial coastline surveillance in the region.
A Red Cross spokesperson said it would be a few days before it was clear whether the rising trend would continue, but predicted that it would.
The head of the emergency services agreed. "Our information suggests more will come," said Garcia. "They know they will be well treated. It's like when you go on holiday to somewhere you like. You talk about it, and your friends decide to go there too."
AFP
