The Civil Guard has located in the vicinity of La Mola(Formentera) 16 migrants who had arrived on a skiff to the island. The events, which also involved the Local Police of Formentera, took place around 07.10 hours on Sunday, as reported by the Government Delegation in the Balearic Islands.
All the migrants are of North African origin and were in apparent good health.
To these are added the 37 people arrived at the small of the Pitiusas shortly before, about 21.25 hours on Saturday. All of them, also of North African origin and in good condition, disembarked at the port of La Savina.
500 immigrants have arrived in the Balearic Islands by patera so far in 2025
The arrival of small boats in the Balearic Islands remains a recurrent phenomenon. With the last group intercepted, there are now 498 immigrants who have reached the archipelago irregularly in 2025, aboard 23 boats.
The data reflect a sustained increase in the migratory flow to the Balearic coasts. In 2024, at least 5,994 people reached the islands through irregular maritime routes, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). This increase responds to various factors, including migratory pressure in North Africa and the intensification of controls on other Mediterranean routes.
The arrival of precarious vessels, often overloaded and without minimum safety conditions, poses a constant challenge in terms of surveillance and humanitarian assistance. Maritime Rescue and security force operations must respond quickly to prevent tragedies at sea and ensure care for new arrivals.