More than 80 migrants, including a baby, are feared to have died after a boat carrying more than 120 people drifted in the Atlantic Ocean for nearly four weeks while attempting to reach Spain’s Canary Islands.
The vessel, believed to have departed The Gambia in early August with about 127 to 128 people on board, was located by a Spanish Maritime Rescue aircraft on Wednesday, September 2, about 120 kilometres southwest of Gran Canaria.
Spanish rescuers later reached the vessel and rescued 44 survivors.
Five bodies were also found aboard the boat, but rescue authorities initially could not recover them because of rough seas and strong winds.
Three of the survivors were reportedly in critical condition and were airlifted to hospital in Gran Canaria, while the remaining survivors were taken to the port of Arguineguín for medical attention.
According to Caminando Fronteras, a Spanish migrant-support organisation that monitors migrant journeys and communicates with families, 83 people died during the voyage.
The organisation said the victims included women and a baby.
However, Spanish maritime authorities said the additional deaths reported by the organisation could not immediately be independently confirmed, noting that the other people believed to have been on the boat had not been found or rescued.
The survivors, who were all men, were reportedly from West African countries including Mali and Senegal.
The boat had spent approximately 26 to 27 days at sea, exposing those aboard to severe conditions and the dangers associated with the Atlantic migration route from West Africa to the Canary Islands.
The route is considered one of the world’s most dangerous migration corridors, with migrants often travelling in overcrowded and poorly equipped vessels over long distances.
The latest tragedy has renewed concerns over the dangers faced by migrants attempting to reach Europe by sea.
Fernando Clavijo, President of the Canary Islands, described the incident as another reminder of the deadly nature of the Atlantic migration route and called for stronger action to prevent further loss of life.
