MADRID: More than 30 individuals are feared to have lost their lives in a devastating incident at sea on Wednesday, as a migrant vessel carrying 59 people enroute to Spain’s Canary Islands capsized, as reported by two migrant-focused organizations.
Walking Borders and Alarm Phone, the two organizations, revealed that the dinghy initially carried 59 individuals. Helena Maleno, the head of Spain’s Walking Borders migrants charity, shared on Twitter that 39 people had drowned. Alarm Phone, specializing in supporting rescue operations in trans-European waters, stated on Twitter that 35 individuals were still missing.
Earlier in the day, Alarm Phone reported that the vessel was taking on water and that three passengers had already perished, urgently demanding immediate rescue efforts. However, there has been no official confirmation from Spain’s coastguard or the Moroccan authorities regarding the total number of people aboard the vessel or the exact number of individuals missing.
🆘 Severe distress on the #Atlantic Route! The 59 people on board who had left #Agadir report water in the boat and three deaths. Authorities are alerted, but #MarineRoyale has not been reachable all night. We demand immediate rescue! Do not let them down! pic.twitter.com/FE91iSuYfV
— @alarmphone (@alarm_phone) June 21, 2023
Spain’s Coastguard Rescue Efforts
According to Reuters, the Spanish maritime rescue service reported that a child had died, while 24 people were successfully rescued in a Moroccan-led operation conducted approximately 88 miles southeast of Gran Canaria island. The Spanish coastguard confirmed recovering the body of one child, which was airlifted by helicopter to Gran Canaria. Moroccan authorities have sought assistance from the Spanish coastguard in their ongoing efforts.
The coastguard later tweeted that a second body had been discovered by a merchant ship, the Navios Azure, although no further details were provided. “The dinghy had been pleading for rescue in Spanish waters for over twelve hours. Among the survivors, 24 people, including 22 men and 2 women, are being transferred to Cap Boujdour,” shared Maleno of Walking Borders on Twitter.
The Canary Islands, located off the West African coast, have become a major destination for migrants seeking entry into Spain, and the number of arrivals has been steadily increasing. According to official figures from the Spanish government, at least 5,914 people have reached the Canary Islands between January 1 and June 15 this year.
The early summer season is particularly challenging, as it marks a high influx of migrants desperate to cross the treacherous waters of the Mediterranean Sea. Just this week, a pregnant woman tragically lost her life onboard a dinghy while attempting to reach Spain. The Spanish coastguard discovered her body on a vessel carrying 42 men, seven women, and three children near the Atlantic coast of Lanzarote.
“On Monday, another trawler spotted a migrant boat near Mogan, in Gran Canaria, with 53 people on board. Three of them were in poor health,” stated the coastguard.
