Rescue operations are underway on Sunday to locate approximately 48 migrants missing after their boat sank near the Spanish island of El Hierro, potentially marking one of the deadliest incidents in 30 years of crossings from Africa to the Canary Islands.
According to emergency and rescue services, nine individuals, including a child, have been confirmed dead following the tragic incident, which occurred in the early hours of Saturday morning. Of the 84 migrants aboard the vessel attempting to reach the Spanish coast, rescuers managed to recover 27 survivors.
Spanish coastguard officials reported that three patrol boats and three helicopters were deployed for the renewed search on Sunday. The migrants are believed to be from Mali, Mauritania, and Senegal.
Emergency services received a distress call shortly after midnight on Saturday, with the boat located approximately four miles east of El Hierro. The vessel capsized during the rescue operation, complicating efforts to find additional survivors amid challenging conditions of wind and poor visibility.
Candelaria Delgado, a representative of the Canary Islands government, warned that if current trends continue, the region could face the largest humanitarian crisis in three decades. “After what happened yesterday and if the forecast for the arrival of migrant boats happens, then it will be the biggest humanitarian crisis to happen to the Canary Islands in 30 years,” she told reporters.
Three of the rescued individuals suffered from hypothermia and dehydration, highlighting the perilous conditions of the journey. The nine deceased migrants are scheduled to be buried on Monday and Tuesday, while a temporary morgue has been set up on El Hierro as hopes of finding more survivors dwindle.
Among the deceased is a child estimated to be between the ages of 12 and 15, according to the NGO Walking Borders, which supports migrants.
Despite the tragedy, three other boats successfully reached the Canary Islands overnight, carrying a total of 208 migrants. Local authorities have noted a surge in crossings this month, attributed to the calm seas and mild winds typical of late summer in the Atlantic Ocean off West Africa.
The number of migrants making the dangerous journey from Africa to the Canary Islands has increased dramatically this year, with a reported 154% rise in crossings. Data from the European Union’s border agency, Frontex, indicates that 21,620 migrants have attempted the perilous journey in the first seven months of the year.
Historically, the deadliest shipwreck recorded in the region occurred in 2009 off the island of Lanzarote, resulting in the deaths of 25 individuals.
