Politicians in the Balearic Islands say Spain must completely rethink how it handles irregular migration after yet another spike in small-boat arrivals. Figures released in Palma show 5,596 people reached the archipelago in 333 boats last year, an eye-watering rise of 155 per cent on 2022, when 2,194 people arrived in 137 craft.

Most launched from Algeria and risked the Alboran Sea before touching land on picturesque beaches more used to seeing package tourists than police patrols. Formentera has become the main drop-off point, taking roughly forty-six per cent of all newcomers in 2024.

Local officials insist the island’s tiny footprint and limited security presence make it an obvious target for smugglers who now view it as a gateway to the Schengen zone. Critics in Palma say the nationa

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