East African migrants drive surge of arrivals in Spain's Balearic Islands
Overall, irregular migration to Spain has fallen this year, but it has risen by 170% in the Balearics in the first six months to about 3,000 people, official data shows. The number of boats, mostly departing from Algeria, more than doubled.
A significant number of the arrivals are from East Africa.
Konestory, a 20-year-old South Sudanese migrant, told Reuters on Tuesday in the Mallorcan capital of Palma that he had fled from growing instability in the region.
He paid $2,000 (R35,121) to board a boat from Algeria, which took 46 hours to reach the islands. They faced 'a lot of waves', ran out of food and water, and got lost, he said.
'Now I'm happy. I'm looking at ways to talk to my mom to give her the information that I reached here.'
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TimesLIVE
5 days ago
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East African migrants drive surge of arrivals in Spain's Balearic Islands
More than 30 boats carrying about 600 irregular migrants have arrived in Spain's Balearic Islands since Monday, officials said, as a new migratory route from North Africa gains traction after a crackdown by authorities in other jumping off points. Overall, irregular migration to Spain has fallen this year, but it has risen by 170% in the Balearics in the first six months to about 3,000 people, official data shows. The number of boats, mostly departing from Algeria, more than doubled. A significant number of the arrivals are from East Africa. Konestory, a 20-year-old South Sudanese migrant, told Reuters on Tuesday in the Mallorcan capital of Palma that he had fled from growing instability in the region. He paid $2,000 (R35,121) to board a boat from Algeria, which took 46 hours to reach the islands. They faced 'a lot of waves', ran out of food and water, and got lost, he said. 'Now I'm happy. I'm looking at ways to talk to my mom to give her the information that I reached here.'
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Nepal waives climbing fees for some peaks to lure mountaineers
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US requires Zambia, Malawi citizens to pay up to $15,000 bond for some visitor visas
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