World News
Dozens of migrants feared dead after boat found drifting off Canary Islands
Spanish rescue teams recovered 44 survivors from a vessel believed to have departed The Gambia nearly a month ago.
The short version
- Spanish Maritime Rescue located a migrant vessel adrift in the Atlantic Ocean approximately 65 nautical miles southwest of Gran Canaria.
- Rescuers saved 44 men from sub-Saharan Africa, airlifting three in critical condition, while five deceased individuals could not be retrieved due to severe sea conditions.
- More than 80 people are feared dead after the boat, reportedly carrying an estimated 127 passengers, drifted for 27 days.
Key facts
- Spanish Maritime Rescue located a drifting boat 65 nautical miles southwest of Arguineguín, Gran Canaria, on Wednesday.[BBC News]
- Rescuers brought 44 sub-Saharan African men to safety and transported them to Gran Canaria, with three flown to the hospital in critical condition.[BBC News]
- Rescue teams spotted five bodies aboard the vessel but were forced to leave them behind because of 2.5-meter waves and 20-knot winds.[BBC News]
- The vessel is believed to have left The Gambia in early August carrying approximately 127 people before drifting for 27 days.[BBC News]
- Helena Maleno Garzón, founder of the charity Caminando Fronteras, stated that 83 people, including a baby, lost their lives on the journey.[BBC News]
What remains uncertain
- Spanish Maritime Rescue stated it could not independently verify the total number of people originally on board the vessel.[BBC News]
Sources
- More than 80 migrants feared dead after boat rescued off Canary IslandsBBC News - Top Stories