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MADRID — The number of illegal immigrants risking their lives in rickety boats to reach Spain’s Canary Islands from northwest Africa has descended to levels last seen a decade ago, officials said Saturday.
In 2009, a total of 2,041 adults and 201 children arrived in the islands or were rescued as they sailed toward them, an Interior Ministry spokeswoman said.
The number of immigrants peaked in 2006 when 31,859 had to be housed, the spokeswoman said on condition of anonymity in keeping with government rules.
