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8,000 Arrivals Push El Hierro In The Canary Islands Into Emergency As Passengers Report A Week At Sea

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File photo of Red Cross staff assisting people who arrived by sea in the Canary Islands. Photo: canary4stock /Shutterstock.

El Hierro’s 12,000 residents face growing pressure on local services after more than 8,000 arrivals in five weeks. Passengers on boats carrying more than 100 people reported spending up to seven days at sea.

People living on El Hierro, one of Spain’s Canary Islands in the Atlantic off northwest Africa, are facing growing pressure on local services after more than 8,000 migrants reached the island by boat in five weeks. The island council declared a social emergency on November 6, calling for more staff, better first reception facilities and faster transfers.

More than 3,000 people arrived in the five days before the declaration, aboard around 30 cayucos, according to figures reported by Diario de Avisos. El Hierro has just over 12,000 residents. The arrival figure counts people who reached the island, not the number who remained there, as transfers to other islands have also taken place.

Passengers report up to seven days at sea

Four cayucos carrying 377 people reached La Restinga between the night of November 3 and the morning of November 4. The first boat carried 111 people. They told emergency teams they had left Kafountine, Senegal, seven days earlier.

Passengers on a second boat, carrying 125 people, reported leaving M’bour five days earlier. People on the next two boats said they had left Saint Louis five and six days before arriving. The passengers came from several countries, including Guinea Bissau, Gambia, Mali, Senegal and Guinea Conakry. The reported departure points were in Senegal.

The published reports attribute the journey times to passenger accounts given to emergency teams. They do not cite independent tracking records confirming each boat’s route or time at sea.

African routes to Canary Islands
African routes to Canary Islands

NOAA charts show waves reaching three metres

NOAA’s daily sea state analyses for October 28 to November 4 show significant wave heights reaching about three metres in parts of the charted waters north of 20°N, along the northern approach to the Canary Islands. The charts show the average height of the highest third of waves, not the height of the largest wave. Individual waves can be higher. ocean.weather.gov

For people aboard open cayucos carrying more than 100 passengers, a crossing lasting several days means prolonged exposure to the Atlantic swell and the movement of the boat, with little room to move or shelter from spray. What did passengers face across the full journey, and what evidence can confirm the reported route and duration beyond the accounts given on arrival?

Local rescue and reception services face pressure

The local government emergency declaration cited pressure on the staff and services involved in rescues and reception, including Salvamento Marítimo, the Canary Islands Health Service, police, the Red Cross and other organisations. It called for more staff and shift rotations so teams could rest, as well as better transfer arrangements and stronger first reception facilities.

Diario de Avisos reported that rescue workers had been getting as little as three hours of rest a day during the surge. It also reported that a rescue vessel was temporarily left out of service after running out of fuel. The paper counted at least eight deaths on the Atlantic route during the first six days of November.

The pressure is also being felt in La Restinga, where fishing, tourism, diving and other businesses operate around the port. The Cabildo (Local Government) says the response must provide humanitarian assistance while allowing residents and local businesses to continue their normal activities.

EWN has also reported on a day when more than 300 people needed help during Atlantic rescue operations.

What support has been agreed?

After a meeting with Canary Islands and El Hierro representatives on November 10, the central government committed to adding medical and nursing staff through the Red Cross, increasing police and in person interpreting support, and adding another rescue vessel. Temporary buses are also planned to help with transfers without adding pressure to public, school and tourist transport.

The Government also committed to a compensation fund for businesses affected in La Restinga, including diving clubs, restaurants, fishing and hospitality. New medical support would be added to €15.8 million already approved for the wider response. The announced measures are commitments, and the reports do not give a timetable for every measure to begin.

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Motril Goes Into Overdrive With More Than 400 Classics

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Classic car show. Credit: Magneto

A charity car gathering in Motril is set to bring more than 400 vehicles together, with the event raising funds to give disadvantaged children a summer break in 2027. It follows other charity car gatherings in Andalucia which have brought motoring enthusiasts together to support worthwhile causes.

The first Concentración Solidaria de Motril will take place at the town’s Recinto Ferial on Saturday, November 14. Organised by Mijitas Racing Club and charity INPAVI, the event is expected to attract classic cars, sports and rally vehicles, customised models, motorcycles and trucks. The region has previously hosted other charity classic car rallies in Spain, as well as popular classic car events in Malaga Province.

Fast and Furious “drift” event

Visitors will also be able to see cars inspired by the Fast & Furious films, while a drift zone is planned for controlled driving demonstrations. Entry for the public is free, making the gathering an option for motoring enthusiasts.

Money raised will support INPAVI’s Educa Vida summer camp, which provides activities and support for children from families facing financial difficulties. Motril Town Hall says the fundraising target is to provide places for 80 children in 2027.

The summer scheme gives children a safe and structured place to go when school closes. Activities include educational support, social activities and daily meals, helping families who may struggle to afford organised childcare and holiday activities. The University of Granada’s information about Educa Vida explains the programme’s educational and social objectives.

Raffle, competitions and foodtrucks

More than 50 volunteers from INPAVI teams in Motril, Granada and Malaga are expected to help run the event. A charity raffle will offer prizes worth more than €900, while children can enjoy bouncy castles, face painting, drawing and games.

Food stalls are also planned, with burgers, hot dogs, kebabs, baked potatoes, waffles and sweets available. Vehicle exhibitors will pay €15 to enter their cars or motorcycles, with seven categories of prizes due to be awarded at 4pm.

The gathering runs from 10am to 5pm at the Recinto Ferial. Motril’s official event announcement and the official tourism calendar provide further details for anyone planning to attend. Organisers hope the combination of unusual vehicles, family activities and fundraising will draw a large crowd and help give local children a summer experience they might otherwise miss.

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Salobreña Marches Against Cancer: Around 700 People Join First Colourful Charity Event

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Salobreña turns pink. Credit: Ayto

Around 700 people took to the streets of Salobreña on Sunday, November 8, to support the fight against cancer at the town’s first Salobreña en Marcha contra el Cáncer.

Organised by the local branch of the Spanish Association Against Cancer (AECC), the charity event brought together residents of all ages for a colourful show of community support.

Event a show of community support

Rather than being a competitive sporting event, the initiative was designed to encourage people to get involved, enjoy themselves and contribute to an important cause. Participants joined the colourful march, helping raise funds for the AECC’s work supporting people affected by cancer, as well as its prevention programmes and scientific research.

The association provides practical and emotional assistance to cancer patients and their families, including psychological support, social services and help with financial difficulties that can accompany treatment. Research funding is another important part of its work, helping scientists develop better ways to prevent, detect and treat the disease.

The impressive turnout was particularly encouraging given that this was the first edition of the Salobreña event. Organisers had hoped to bring the community together behind the cause, and the 700 participants demonstrated considerable local support.

Pink wave sweeps through Salobreña

The march had originally been planned for October 18 but was postponed because of the weather, eventually taking place on November 8. Similar initiatives have attracted strong support elsewhere in southern Spain, including the Mijas Marea Rosa walk and cancer awareness activities in Nerja.

Salobreña’s streets were filled with colour on Sunday, but the message behind the event was serious: cancer affects families across the community, and local support can make a meaningful difference.

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Deadly Fog Causes Bulgaria’s Largest Motorway Pile-Up As 86 Vehicles Crash, 12 Dead

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The collisions continued as vehicles approached the scene in poor visibility. Photo credit:@volkova_ma57183 on X

Thick fog can be every driver’s nightmare, but when it descends without warning, the danger is even greater. With visibility suddenly reduced to just a few metres, there may be no time to brake or avoid the traffic ahead. That is what happened on Bulgaria’s Trakia Motorway, where dozens vehicles were caught up in two devastating pile-ups.

The wreckage stretched across both carriageways of the motorway linking Sofia with the Black Sea port of Burgas. Cars and lorries were crushed together, emergency crews had to fight their way into the pile-ups, and the route was closed in both directions as rescuers worked to reach those trapped. 

Fog turns motorway into scene of mass collision

The first emergency call was received at around 7.10am local time on Tuesday, November 10. The crashes happened near the Zimnitsa junction in the Yambol region, in southeastern Bulgaria. A total of 86 vehicles were involved. Sixty-three were caught in the pile-up on the carriageway towards Burgas, while another 23 were involved in a separate collision on the opposite side, heading towards Sofia.

Officials said visibility had initially been between 70 and 80 metres before suddenly dropping to around 10 metres. The fog arrived quickly, leaving drivers with little warning of the stationary or slowing traffic ahead. The road surface was also wet, adding to the difficulty of stopping safely. 

First collision involved lorry and passenger bus

According to the initial account from the Interior Ministry, the first crash began on the Burgas-bound carriageway when a lorry blocked the path of a passenger bus. A second lorry, which was carrying grain, then became involved, followed by further vehicles crashing into the wreckage.

The collisions continued as vehicles approached the scene in poor visibility. A second chain-reaction crash developed on the opposite carriageway, where investigators believe some drivers may have become distracted by the disaster unfolding across the central reservation.

All the reported fatalities occurred on the side heading towards Burgas. Authorities have stressed that the precise causes are still being investigated, although the sudden fog, wet conditions and driving speeds unsuitable for the weather are among the factors being examined.

Drone footage reveals the horrifying scale of the tragedy on Bulgaria’s Trakia Motorway. Over 50 vehicles, including cars and trucks, were involved in the massive pile-up, leaving at least 12 people dead and dozens injured. One of Bulgaria’s deadliest road disasters. 😭 https://t.co/NfyVJyGotH

— една българка (@transbulgaria) November 10, 2026

Rescue teams work among wrecked vehicles

The scale of the crash required a major emergency operation. Police, firefighters and medical teams from neighbouring regions were sent to the scene, with 15 fire engines and hundreds of police officers involved in the response. Rescuers had to remove sections of the crash barriers to reach some of the injured. The fog also prevented helicopter evacuations, complicating efforts to move casualties quickly.

Injured people were taken to hospitals in Yambol, Sliven and Burgas, with several requiring intensive care and emergency surgery. The latest figures released on Tuesday afternoon put the death toll at 12, while around 50 people had been injured. Officials had warned earlier that the number of casualties could change as hospitals continued treating those involved. 

Bulgaria declares national day of mourning

Prime Minister Rumen Radev visited the scene and described the crashes as a tragedy for the country. The government announced that Wednesday, November 11, would be a national day of mourning for those who died.The scale of the disaster also disrupted official engagements. Radev cancelled scheduled events, while European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who was visiting Bulgaria, shortened her trip and expressed condolences to the victims and emergency crews. 

Two separate investigations have been opened because the crashes occurred on opposite carriageways. The National Investigation Service is expected to take over the enquiries, with investigators examining how the first collision developed and why the second pile-up followed.

The tragedy has also renewed questions about warnings for drivers in areas where fog regularly forms. Officials have raised the possibility of improving road markings and installing more reflective measures to make dangerous stretches easier to navigate when visibility deteriorates. For now, investigators must establish exactly how a sudden change in weather turned a busy motorway into Bulgaria’s worst multi-vehicle disasters.

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