Four boats with 227 migrants rescued in Spain's Canary Islands in 24 hours

Migrants wait to disembark from a Spanish coast guard vessel, in the port of Arguineguin, on the island of Gran Canaria, Spain June 22, 2023. REUTERS/Borja Suarez

ARGUINEGUIN, Spain (Reuters) - A total of 227 migrants were rescued on Thursday near Spain's Canary Islands, emergency services said, one day after migrant charities said they feared more than 30 migrants had died after their inflatable dinghy sank on the same route.

The Canary Islands off the coast of West Africa have become the main destination for migrants trying to reach Spain, with a much smaller number also seeking to cross the Mediterranean Sea to the Spanish mainland. Summer is the busiest period for all attempted crossings.