Ten migrants, including two minors, have been assisted after arriving on the coast at Benidorm by small boat early this morning. The vessel reached the shore without incident, and emergency services provided immediate help. It is the first recorded arrival of migrants to the Valencian Community in 2026.

All ten people are of North African origin and were reported to be in relatively good health on arrival. They have since been transferred to the socio-health care centre at the port of Alicante, which is run by the Red Cross. There, they are receiving basic assistance and medical assessments, with priority given to the care of the two children.

The arrival comes after a year in which migrant numbers along the Valencian coast fell to their lowest level in a decade. In 2025, a total of 340 people arrived, almost half the figure seen in previous years, although emergency services noted poorer overall health conditions. The decline has been linked to the opening of alternative Mediterranean routes, particularly those leading towards the Balearic Islands.