More than 500 migrants arrived in the Canary Islands in the last 24 hours, aboard five canoes that were transferred and taken to port while sailing in the waters of El Hierro and Gran Canaria.
El Hierro received the second cayuco of the day, in this case a boat with 254 migrants with, at least, 16 minorsAccording to the occupants’ testimonies, one of the migrants died during the crossing, whose body was thrown into the sea before reaching the port.
One of them has already been disembarked in La Restinga, with 106 men, 9 women and at least 6 minors on board, located after 10 days of navigation from Dakar.
These two canoes are added to those rescued yesterday Tuesday, where, at the last minute, the Maritime Rescue and the Civil Guard rescued two canoes that were sailing in the waters near El Hierro with 244 migrants on board.
A drifting pirogue with around 120 sub-Saharan migrants, including a woman in serious condition, was also rescued in recent hours while sailing around 320 nautical miles (about 590 kilometers) south of the island of Gran Canaria and which is believed to have left Nouachotk (Mauritania) two days ago. There were about ten minors on board, including several babies.
The rescue began yesterday Tuesday at around 13:23 Canary Islands time, when the ship “ENSCO DS-10” informed the Rescue Coordination Centre (CCS) in Las Palmas of an irregular vessel. Thus, the Guardamar Concepción Arenal set sail from Gran Canaria at 15:55, while at 21:40. rescue of about 120 people to head towards the Arguineguín pier, where they arrived around 4 p.m. this Wednesday.
Until August 15, 31,155 migrants have arrived irregularly in Spain so far this year, 12,410 more people (or 66.2%) compared to the same period in 2023 (18,745), according to the latest report from the Ministry of the Interior. collected by Europa Press. Thus, in the first half of August, 2,124 people arrived in an irregular situation.
