Tragic Shipwreck Off Canary Islands Claims Lives of Migrants
A devastating shipwreck near the Canary Islands has left at least nine migrants dead and 48 others missing. The incident occurred in the early hours of Saturday, September 28, when a boat carrying approximately 90 migrants capsized while rescue operations were underway. Spanish sea rescue teams, part of Salvamento Marítimo, have been searching for survivors for two consecutive days, but hopes are dwindling as time passes.
The boat, which had set sail from Nouadhibou, Mauritania, about 800 kilometers away, capsized approximately 4 nautical miles south of El Hierro. During the rescue attempts, many of the occupants gathered on one side of the vessel, causing it to overturn. Rescuers managed to save 27 individuals, including four minors, but the search for the missing has been hampered by poor weather conditions, including winds of up to 20 knots.
The president of the Canary Islands region, Fernando Clavijo, expressed concerns over the likelihood of recovering more bodies soon, suggesting that they may surface in the coming days due to ocean currents. The local government has raised alarms about the lack of facilities to handle the deceased, with plans to bury the nine confirmed dead in the nearby towns of Valverde and La Frontera. This tragedy highlights the ongoing crisis of irregular migration across the Atlantic, with thousands risking their lives in search of a better future.
