Laayoune authorities stop over 100 migrants from crossing to Spain’s Canary Islands

114 migrants en route to the Canary Islands were arrested Thursday in the province of Laayoune, according to local authorities.

The migrants were stopped on board two inflatable boats about 28 km northwest of the port of Laayoune, said the same source.

In recent weeks, rescue missions have intensified, as more migrants take on the dangerous Atlantic route towards the Canary Islands.

The UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM) said at least 250 migrants died on the long and treacherous Canary Islands route in the first six months of 2021, with arrivals increasing by 156 percent compared with the same period last year.