The NGO Open Arms will remain in the Canary Islands for two months to highlight the migratory situation along the Atlantic route, which is considered longer and harsher than the Mediterranean.
During this period, the vessel will dock at various ports within the archipelago, and this morning it arrived at the port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
The Open Arms is an old tugboat built in 1974 under the name Ibaizabal Tres, repurposed in 2017 as a maritime rescue ship. It has a length of 36.9 metres, a beam of 9.5 metres, and a deadweight of 351 tonnes. The vessel operates under a Spanish flag and specializes in high seas rescue operations.
The Open Arms organisationcelebrates its tenth anniversary in September, having initiated its first migrant assistance operations in Lesbos by Óscar and Gerard Camps. Over this decade, it has rescued over 73,000 people, including more than 8,000 directly assisted by this vessel.
In addition to its work in the central Mediterranean, the organisation has launched humanitarian corridors in Gaza and participated in logistical and food support missions in Ukraine alongside World Central Kitchen.
Open Day at Open Arms
The programme in the Canary Islands includes open days and educational activities. Scheduled visits will take place from 1 to 7 October in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, from 9 to 15 in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, and from 22 to 27 in Arrecife.
Schools will be welcomed in the mornings, while afternoons will be open to the general public. The NGO will remain available for maritime emergencies during its stay in the archipelago.
The President of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, visited the vessel docked at the port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife this Thursday, recognising the NGO’s important work and recalling that it received the Gold Medal of the Canary Islands in 2022. During the visit, Clavijo exchanged contact details with Óscar Camps, President of Open Arms, a moment captured by Diario de Avisos in a photograph.
Clavijo labels Abascal as an “authentic fascist”
The arrival of the Open Arms in Tenerife coincided with statements from the leader of Vox, Santiago Abascal, who called for the confiscation and sinking of the ship, branding it a “slave ship.” Clavijo described these remarks as “unacceptable” and defended the humanitarian efforts of the organisation.
The presence of the Open Arms in the Canary Islands coincides with an increase in boat arrivals to the archipelago’s shores and growing pressure on the Atlantic route, which has become one of the most dangerous migration paths to Europe.
