Furious island leaders have demanded urgent EU deportations as migrant crossings soar by 34% on the popular holiday route.
Furious island leaders have demanded urgent EU deportations as migrant crossings soar by 34% on the popular holiday route (Image: Getty)
Spain’s sun-soaked Balearic Islands are facing an unprecedented migrant crisis after more than 6,600 people stormed the popular holiday hotspot on hundreds of small boats. Alarm bells are now ringing over Majorca, Ibiza and Formentera becoming the main “gateway for irregular immigration” into Europe, as desperate local leaders demand EU-backed fast-track deportations to regain control of their borders. The surge comes despite illegal immigration falling across the rest of Europe, with arrivals on the Balearic route soaring by a staggering 34%.
In a dramatic 24-hour window on Tuesday (October 13), seven small boats crammed with 101 migrants were intercepted off the archipelago. The final vessel of the day was caught late at night carrying 17 North Africans just two miles south of Ibiza, following earlier interceptions off Cabrera and Formentera.
According to official figures, a staggering 365 small boats carrying 6,642 migrants have reached the Balearics so far this year, according to the Majorca Daily Bulletin. The sharp uptick follows a record-breaking 2025, which saw 7,321 migrants arrive on 401 boats – a 24.5% surge on the previous year.
Human trafficking gangs are blamed for shifting operations from Morocco to Algeria, taking advantage of lighter coastal security and deploying faster boats to launch crossings straight into the British holiday haven. While many making the treacherous journey originate from North Africa, increasing numbers are sub-Saharan and East African nationals using Algeria as a transit hub.
Balearic President Marga Prohens warned the islands face a ‘high-risk humanitarian scenario’ (Image: Getty)
The relentless arrivals have left local reception services pushed to breaking point, igniting a fiery political row between the islands and Spain’s central government. Leading the backlash, Balearic President Marga Prohens has launched a scathing attack on socialist Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, warning that the islands face a “high-risk humanitarian scenario”.
Taking her fight straight to Brussels, Ms Prohens confronted top EU officials – including Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Šuica – demanding urgent European action and targeted funding. Ms Prohens slammed Mr Sánchez’s left-wing administration for refusing to implement immediate deportation mechanisms used by other EU nations, accusing his government of creating a dangerous “pull factor” alongside controversial plans for mass migrant amnesties.
Demanding Spain protect its island borders, she insisted European nations must adopt swift return policies to curb the surge, warning that the route from Algeria to the Balearics has officially become the fastest-growing illegal migration route in Europe.