At Least 83 Feared Dead After Migrant Boat Found Off Canary Islands.
Gran Canaria:
At least 83 migrants are feared to have died after a migrant boat travelling from West Africa was found off the coast of the Canary Islands, in one of the latest tragedies along the perilous Atlantic migration route to Spain.
Spanish Maritime Rescue teams located the vessel on Wednesday, around 65 nautical miles southwest of Arguineguín, a coastal town on Gran Canaria. Rescuers found 44 survivors and five deceased people aboard the boat.
The vessel is believed to have departed from The Gambia in early August, reportedly carrying around 127 people. However, Spanish Maritime Rescue said it could not independently verify the original number of passengers.
Human rights activist Helena Maleno Garzón, founder of the Spanish charity Caminando Fronteras, said 83 people had lost their lives during the journey. The figure could not immediately be independently confirmed.
The rescue operation was complicated by severe weather conditions. Maritime Rescue said winds were reaching around 20 knots, while waves were approximately 2.5 metres high, making it impossible for rescuers to recover the five bodies discovered aboard the vessel. The bodies had to be left behind because of the dangerous sea conditions.
The 44 survivors, all men from sub-Saharan Africa, were rescued and brought to safety. Three survivors were airlifted to hospital in critical condition, while the remaining passengers were transported by sea to Gran Canaria. They arrived and disembarked in the early hours of Thursday.
The latest incident has renewed concerns over the dangers faced by migrants attempting to reach the Canary Islands from the Atlantic coast of Africa.
Canary Islands government head Fernando Clavijo expressed concern over the continuing loss of life, saying it was unacceptable for the Atlantic to remain a “death trap” for migrants.
The Atlantic migration route from West Africa to the Canary Islands is considered one of the world’s most dangerous migration crossings. Thousands of people attempt the journey each year in search of safety and opportunities in Spanish territory, often travelling in overcrowded and poorly equipped boats.
Rough seas, powerful currents, long distances and unpredictable weather conditions make the crossing extremely hazardous, with numerous lives lost during attempted journeys each year.
