4 migrants lifeless, 64 rescued as West African boat reaches Canary Islands

4 migrants have been discovered lifeless and 64 have been rescued when a ship from Mauritania reached Spain’s Canary Islands after a harmful Atlantic journey from West Africa, Spain’s Maritime Rescue Service mentioned.

The migrants arrived on the island of El Hierro late on Tuesday night, with the survivors together with two girls and 9 minors, the service mentioned.

Ill, two individuals have been transferred by helicopter to a hospital on the island of Tenerife whereas 14 others have been taken to an area hospital on El Hierro to be handled primarily for hypothermia and dehydration, in line with a publish on X, previously Twitter, by an area emergency service.

SPANISH MIGRANT CRISIS ESCALATES AS OVER 1,000 MIGRANTS REACH CANARY ISLANDS IN 3 DAYS

Almost 12,000 migrants fleeing poverty, battle and instability in West Africa have landed on the Spanish archipelago within the first two months of the yr, in line with Spain’s inside ministry.

That is greater than six instances the quantity that made it to the islands final yr. El Hierro, the westernmost of the Canary Islands, is bearing the brunt of arrivals.

OVER 500 MIGRANTS ARRIVE AT SPANISH CANARY ISLANDS IN 24 HOURS

Most migrants have been departing from the coast of Mauritania on artisanal fishing boats often known as pirogues and navigating for a number of days in opposition to robust winds and Atlantic currents. Whereas 1000’s have survived the dangerous journey, many die or disappear alongside the way in which with stays generally washing up on the opposite facet of the Atlantic.

Not less than 191 migrants have been reported lifeless or lacking up to now in 2024 attempting to achieve the Canary Islands, in line with the Worldwide Group for Migrations Lacking Migrants Challenge.

However that quantity is believed to be an undercount.