Spanish Sea Rescue services discovered five bodies floating in waters off the Canary Islands Sunday after their inflatable vessel ruptured approximately 90 kilometers (56 miles) from Lanzarote, marking the latest tragedy in a surge of maritime migration to the Spanish archipelago.
Rescue crews spotted two inflatable boats heading toward the islands, one with a deflated float, prompting an emergency response that saved 97 people. Rescuers deployed two life rafts, successfully evacuating 17 people from one vessel and 80 from another, according to a spokesperson for the rescue services.
The incident occurred during a weekend of intense rescue activity, with state news agency EFE reporting more than 1,500 migrants rescued. In a separate tragedy, EFE reported that at least 48 migrants who departed Mauritania three weeks ago perished attempting to reach the islands. Ten survivors from that vessel were rescued Saturday near El Hierro island.
Late summer weather conditions in the Atlantic, characterized by calm seas and gentle winds off West Africa’s coast, have triggered an increase in departure attempts. Migrants, primarily fleeing extreme poverty and political instability in Africa’s Sahel region, are taking advantage of the favorable conditions despite the journey’s risks.
Government data reveals 32,878 migrants attempted the Atlantic route to the Canary Islands between January and October 15, representing a 39.7% increase from the same period last year. While this route has experienced the fastest growth in irregular migration recently, numbers remain lower than those on the Central Mediterranean route toward Italy.
VOA
