News from Tenerife is published every Monday as a short news overview on your favorite website about Tenerife.
In this series, we publish a number of events and news facts from the past week. Each article in News from Tenerife is a synthesis of several facts, actions, and incidents that are too short to appear as full-fledged articles.
Renewed connection between Tenerife and New York
The international route connecting Tenerife with New York, operated by United Airlines, will be in service from October 25 to April 30, replacing the previous three-month period with a six-month winter season.
This was confirmed by Lope Afonso, Vice President and Minister of Tourism, who expressed his dissatisfaction with the way this issue was communicated by the airline. The information regarding the cancellation of the route from April 2025 caused understandable concern and some confusion.
Afonso explained that the negotiations the island government of Tenerife held with the airline at the beginning of 2024 made it possible to extend the summer route, which had been in place between June and September for the past three years, until March. However, this agreement was revised by the airline, and the new period was set from October 25, 2024, to April 30, 2025.
Capsized refugee boat
The emergency services of El Hierro have recovered nine bodies and are still searching for at least fifty other victims after a canoe capsized last night in the coastal area of Las Playas, in the municipality of Valverde. The canoe had departed from Mauritania with 84 people on board.
According to the rescue service Salvamento Marítimo, it was the passengers themselves who called the emergency number 112 around 3 AM to report their location. The canoe capsized during the rescue operation when many of the passengers stood up, disturbing the balance of the boat.
All the passengers in the capsized canoe were men, and one of the recovered bodies is that of a teenager aged approximately 12 to 15. Of the 27 rescued people, 25 were brought to La Restinga, while two were evacuated by helicopter. According to the survivors, in addition to some teenagers, there were at least four children aged 7 to 11 on board. Nine people had already died in the boat, and at least fifty passengers are still missing.
In total, three canoes arrived in El Hierro last night, including the capsized one, and a search is underway for a fourth. The first canoe, which arrived around midnight in La Restinga, had 131 people on board, including 107 men, 15 women, five children, and four babies. The second boat was the canoe with nine dead and fifty missing, and the third arrived around 7:30 AM with 20 people, including 18 men, one woman, and one child.
Ongoing arson attacks in Los Cristianos
Social unrest is growing among the residents of Los Cristianos due to the ongoing arson of parked vehicles on the streets. These arson attacks have been happening for several weeks now, but despite requests to the municipality for more information, neither the mayor, Fátima Lemes, nor the responsible councillor for Security, Héctor Timoteo Reyes, has spoken out about the measures being taken to tackle the wave of arson of private vehicles in the streets of Los Cristianos.
The latest fire took place in the parking lot of Residencia Cristianos 3, where three cars went up in flames. This happened near the mountain that encloses the tourist center of Arona. In the same area, near the post office, next to an abandoned building, several burned-out vehicles were discovered two weeks ago. Earlier this summer, multiple car fires were also reported. So far, no one has been able to put an end to these fires.
Residents have tried to find clues to identify the arsonist or arsonists, particularly due to the lack of action from the local police. On social media, warnings have already been issued about the appearance of a suspect. A man with some facial hair was spotted wandering around Calle Noruega, dressed in black, wearing a cap, and carrying a red gas can.
The arson attacks do not seem to be a personal vendetta, as many cars have been set on fire. The remarkable thing about this case is that no one from the Arona city council has wanted to comment, neither on this incident nor on others that occurred last weekend and caused social unrest.
TLP Tenerife breaks record
TLP Tenerife 2024 breaks the attendance record with 62,535 visitors and generates 1.1 million euros for local businesses. TLP Tenerife 2024 is the largest event for technology and new trends in the Canary Islands, with fifteen editions. It is a meeting place for lovers of video games, anime, comics, K-Pop, cosplay, crafts, influencers, and Japanese culture, among others.
Thousands of fans of technology, innovation, Asian culture, manga, anime, cosplay, and video games attended the event. TLP Tenerife is back and has made a big comeback. The next edition will take place from July 15 to 20, 2025.
During the event, 600 people found jobs in the IT and video sector. These are important figures, as this type of event stimulates the economy and provides opportunities for our youth. 55% of the job offers and 100% of the leadership positions went to women, and 10% of the hires were people with disabilities.
The campaign generated nearly 70 million publicity impressions with an advertising return of approximately 950,000 euros, which is an increase of 27% compared to the sponsorship investment. The event generated significant economic activity with an average turnover of 5,356 euros per day for stores and 821 euros per day for artists. Additionally, the turnover in nearby stores amounted to 1.1 million euros during the six days of the TLP event.
Bentor as a first name not popular
Choosing a name for a future baby is nowadays a difficult task for parents. The name must sound good, have meaning, be simple but original, and preferably unique. With so many requirements, parents often search intensively through lists, while friends make suggestions, until they finally announce with relief that they have chosen the perfect name, which will soon be embroidered on bibs and other baby items.
It may have been simpler in the past, but in the 15th century, Mencey Bencomo, ruler of Taoro – one of the nine kingdoms of Tenerife – was probably also thinking about a name for his heir. Eventually, he chose Bentor, who, according to legend, was the last Guanche king.
After the death of Mencey Bencomo in La Laguna, Bentor inherited the kingdom of Taoro and became the leader of the final Guanche campaign against the Spanish invasion. In the second battle of Acentejo, the aboriginal fighters ultimately surrendered.
Despite the inspiring story and legacy of Bentor, this name is not among the most popular Guanche names in the Canary Islands. According to the Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE), only 73 people in all of Spain bear this name, all of them in the Canary Islands. 62 first names are found in the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, and only 9 in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. By comparison, another common aboriginal name, Ayoze, is borne by 1,185 men in the Canary Islands.
These events and developments have a significant impact on life in Tenerife and show the diversity of challenges, developments, and opportunities facing the island. News from Tenerife is published every Monday with news from the past week.
Guy Devos © Photography
News from Tenerife 001
Interested in Tenerife?
Subscribe to our newsletter and always stay informed about the news on Tenerife.
Enter your first name and a valid email address below. Then click on Subscribe.
