Spain rescues 262 migrants off Canary Islands

Migrants arrive on a wooden boat to the port of Los Cristianos in the south of the island of Tenerife, Spain, October 6, 2023. REUTERS/Borja Suarez

MADRID (Reuters) - Spanish coast guards rescued 262 migrants in three boats trying to reach the Canary Islands in the early hours on Friday amid a surge in crossings, just as European leaders were meeting in Spain to look for ways to avoid a new migration crisis.

Italy and Spain have voiced concern over an increase in irregular immigration this year to their islands in the Mediterranean or in the Atlantic. Madrid has said it cannot cope with irregular immigration without help from the European Union.