6,000 illegal immigrants killed on Canaries crossing

A shocking total of 6000 immigrants may have been killed trying to cross the ocean to the Canary Islands

Photo by Francesca Phillips

According to a Canary Islands local government source, the number of illegal immigrants killed while attempting the perilous 2,000km sea crossing from north Africa during 2006 could be as high as 6,000, although only 600 bodies have been recovered.

The number of illegal immigrants arriving in the archipelago has risen to 31,000, six times as many as 2005. "We're talking about a dramatic figure," said deputy Immigration councillor, Froilan Rodriguez, during an interview on Cadena Ser radio.

During 2006, around 20,000 illegal immigrants have been transferred to the Spanish mainland. Once there, the local authorities have a maximum period of 40 days to repatriate those that can be identified, or release onto the streets -with no means of supporting themselves- those whose identities cannot be confirmed.

Meanwhile, according to a report in a December issue of El Pais, the government has given the immediate go-ahead for 180,000 immigrant workers to be contracted in their countries of origin to work in Spain next year, and it is possible that more may be contracted before the start of 2008.

Story by ThinkSpain