On Sunday, during the last day of the cruise, passengers on the MSC Splendida witnessed the tragedy of migration in the Mediterranean. While in waters near the Cabrera sub-archipelago, they spotted a small boat with 19 people on board, including three children. They quickly came to their aid. From the cruise ship, some passengers recorded images of the rescue. The migrants jumped into the sea to reach the life jackets, fought against the force of the waves, which pushed them violently against the boat, and tried by all means to climb the cruise ship's ladder to safety.
The images have been shared on social media by an MSC fan account, and they show how some migrants, all of North African origin, manage to get onto the ship while others struggle not to drown in the attempt.
The Balearic Islands Government Delegation confirmed on Sunday that the rescue operation by the cruise ship took place after 4 p.m. 20 miles from Cabrera. The migrants were brought to safety and transferred to the port of Barcelona, where they will remain at the disposal of the relevant authorities and social services.
A total of 5,827 illegal migrants arrived in the Balearics between 1 January and 30 September this year, 84% more than those who arrived in the same period in 2024, according to the report on irregular immigration published by the Ministry of the Interior.
The Interior Ministry’s data also reveals that 27,476 migrants have arrived in Spain irregularly by sea and land so far in 2025, which is 35.1% less than in the same period in 2024, when 42,327 arrived. 24,589 migrants have arrived by sea this year, 38.8% less than in the same period last year, with 40,172 arrivals. They have done so in 965 boats, 241 fewer than the previous year.
With regard to the Canary Islands, as of 30 September, 12,878 migrants had entered the region this year, 58.3% fewer than those who arrived in the same period in 2024 (30,850). This year, they have arrived on board 211 boats, 54.3% fewer than in 2024, with 462.
Meanwhile, 11,680 migrants have arrived by sea to the mainland (5,853) and the Balearics (5,827), which is 25.9% more than in the same period in 2024, when 9,278 arrived. In this case, they arrived in 743 boats, 13 more than last year. As for Ceuta and Melilla, a total of 2,887 people entered the autonomous cities irregularly by land, 34% more than in the same period last year. 2,644 migrants arrived in the former, 552 more than last year, while 243 arrived in the latter, 180 more than in 2024. Finally, six migrants arrived irregularly by sea in Ceuta, compared to 23 last year, and 25 in Melilla, compared to 21 in the same period in 2024 (19% more).