Five confirmed dead, many more feared lost in migrant boat incident near Canary Islands

Spanish migrant NGO Caminando Fronteras reported that more than 80 people are likely dead from a boat that departed from The Gambia 27 days ago. The bodies of five individuals were recovered after a boat carrying West Africans was rescued off Spain’s Canary Islands, according to Spain’s maritime rescue service, Salvamento Maritimo. On Thursday, the service stated that one of its boats rescued 44 men from a drifting vessel approximately 120 kilometers (75 miles) south of Gran Canaria on Wednesday evening. Adverse weather conditions initially hindered the retrieval of the five corpses that remained on board before the boat was taken to the port of Arguineguin. Three survivors in critical condition were evacuated by helicopter to a hospital on the island, while the remaining 41 individuals received care from the Red Cross. All survivors were men, some of whom were minors, and hailed from Mali or Senegal, as reported by Jose Antonio Rodriguez Verona, a Red Cross spokesperson in the Canaries. Helena Maleno, a spokesperson for Caminando Fronteras, stated on social media that 83 migrants and refugees had perished, including three women and a baby girl. The NGO's data is based on testimonies from migrants’ families and official rescue statistics, often resulting in higher tolls than those reported by authorities. A spokesperson for Salvamento Maritimo told AFP that the other alleged victims have not been found or rescued, and the alternative death toll could not be confirmed. It remains unclear if additional resources will be deployed to search for the other victims. Canary Islands President Fernando Clavijo emphasized the need for a state policy on migration, stating, "It is intolerable that lives continue to be lost. The Canaries cannot get used to or accept as normal the fact that the Atlantic continues to be a death trap." The Canary Islands serve as a primary entry point into Europe for individuals fleeing poverty, conflict, and persecution, alongside Mediterranean routes to Italy and Greece. The perilous journey from West Africa is one of the deadliest due to strong currents and often overcrowded vessels. Arrivals to the Atlantic archipelago peaked in 2024 at over 46,000 but have sharply declined due to increased patrols and cooperation with countries of origin and transit. From January 1 to August 31, a total of 5,163 migrants and refugees reached the Canaries by sea, marking a 57 percent decrease compared to the same period last year, according to interior ministry figures.