LA RESTINGA, Spain — Seven migrant women and children, including two five-year-old girls and a 16-year-old, died just meters from safety when their boat capsized off the coast of Spain’s Canary Islands, emergency officials confirmed. The victims were laid to rest Friday near La Restinga harbor on El Hierro island, where they had hoped to begin a new life.
The tragedy unfolded Wednesday as rescue services were escorting the overcrowded vessel into port. Despite being within reach of shore, the boat overturned, plunging its passengers into the Atlantic.
“I heard the screams and didn’t hesitate,” said Javier Iglesias, a La Restinga resident who rushed to help after hearing the commotion. Speaking at the funeral attended by survivors and local residents, Iglesias recalled the emotional toll: “What really moves you is seeing the faces of those who didn’t reach their dream, just five meters from the shore.”
The deaths underscore the deadly risks facing migrants, particularly women and children, who undertake the treacherous voyage from West Africa to the Canary Islands, a route known for rough seas and unpredictable conditions.
According to Walking Borders, a nonprofit advocating for migrant rights, at least 4,808 people died attempting the Atlantic crossing to the Canary Islands in the first five months of 2024 alone. While Spain’s Interior Ministry reports a decline in arrivals so far in 2025, last year marked a record high in landings via this route.
The small fishing harbor of La Restinga, nestled on the southern edge of El Hierro, has become one of the first places many migrants from Africa reach after days—or even weeks—at sea. Yet, for the seven laid to rest Friday, safety remained tragically out of reach.
Their burial at sea’s edge served as both a somber farewell and a stark reminder of the continued humanitarian crisis unfolding on Europe’s maritime borders.
