Figures published on 14 October put the number of people arriving in Ibiza and Formentera by small boat so far this year at 3,142, approaching the 3,165 recorded across the two islands during all of 2025. Further arrivals were reported on Wednesday, underlining the need for an updated cumulative count.

Ibiza and Formentera continued to receive small boats carrying migrants in mid-October, following a particularly busy period during the summer. On Tuesday, 13 October, five boats carrying at least 65 people arrived in the Pitiusas in less than 12 hours, according to information provided by the Government Delegation in the Balearic Islands.

A further boat carrying 17 people was intercepted south of Ibiza late on Tuesday night. The arrivals were part of a wider series of maritime and land operations across the Balearic Islands.

Pitiusas Figure Approaches the 2025 Total

The cumulative figure reported on Wednesday morning, 14 October, was 3,142 people recorded arriving in Ibiza and Formentera during 2026. The total for the whole of 2025 was 3,165.

At the time of publication, the 2026 figure was therefore 23 below the previous year's total. It had passed 3,100, but had not yet exceeded the full-year 2025 figure.

The figures reflect the count compiled from information supplied by the Government Delegation and other official updates. Because further arrivals were reported after the cumulative figure was published, the total should be treated as a dated snapshot rather than a definitive count for the current day.

Arrivals Reported on Tuesday, 13 October

During Tuesday, five boats carrying at least 65 people arrived in Ibiza and Formentera. Four of the boats were reported in Formentera and one in Ibiza.

The day's wider operations also included a rescue involving 19 people at sea south of Formentera, interceptions of people on land and a separate rescue near Cabrera. By the end of Tuesday, reports put the total across the Balearic Islands at 101 people in seven boats.

That regional figure includes arrivals in Cabrera as well as Ibiza and Formentera, and should not be confused with the Pitiusas-only cumulative total.

Late on Tuesday night, Salvamento Marítimo and the Guardia Civil rescued another 17 people aboard a boat approximately two nautical miles south of Ibiza.

Further Arrivals on Wednesday

The movement continued on Wednesday, 14 October. A further 17 people were rescued from a boat around 12 nautical miles south of Formentera during the morning. Later reporting also recorded a second arrival, bringing the day's reported total for Ibiza and Formentera to 31 people in two boats.

These subsequent incidents mean that the cumulative figure published earlier on Wednesday does not represent all arrivals reported during the day. A consolidated, updated Pitiusas total would be needed to establish precisely how far the 2026 count has moved beyond the figure reported that morning.

A Wider Balearic Picture

The arrivals in the Pitiusas form part of a broader pattern across the Balearic Islands. The Spanish Interior Ministry publishes periodic national figures for irregular arrivals, including those reaching the Peninsula and the Balearics by sea. These official reports provide regional context, although they do not supply the same island-by-island breakdown used in local counts.

The routes and arrival numbers have also raised questions about the support required after people reach the islands, including the arrangements for people who are under 18 and arrive without a parent or legal guardian.

Local authorities have previously discussed the responsibilities involved in providing care and accommodation for unaccompanied minors. Figures concerning those in care are separate from the number of people arriving by boat and should not be treated as interchangeable statistics.

Why Updated Figures Matter

The latest reports show how quickly the numbers can change when several boats arrive within a short period. They also illustrate why cumulative totals need a clear reference date and consistent counting method.

As of the morning report on 14 October, Ibiza and Formentera had recorded 3,142 arrivals during 2026, compared with 3,165 in the whole of 2025. Additional arrivals reported later that day mean the cumulative count requires updating before a definitive comparison with last year's total can be made.

The figures provide a snapshot of a continuing situation, while leaving the final 2026 total dependent on arrivals during the remaining weeks of the year.