Two migrants die, dozens rescued off Spain's Canaries

By: AFP
Published: 02:51 AM, 31 Oct, 2023
Two migrants die, dozens rescued off Spain's Canaries
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Two people were found dead on Monday during the rescue of a boat crammed with 209 migrants near the coast of Spain's Canary Islands, rescuers said.

The bodies were discovered during the operation 15 kilometres (nine miles) south of Tenerife, Spanish rescuers said.

The people aboard included 154 men, 21 women and 34 minors, a rescue service spokesperson told AFP, adding that several people were not "in a good state".

No details were provided on the two deceased. Those rescued were taken to the Los Cristianos port.

As controls have been tightened in the Mediterranean, the Canaries route has become a favourite in recent years for people who flee poverty and conflict in Africa and head to Europe.

Latest data from Spain's interior ministry show 23,537 migrants reached the Canaries between January 1 and October 15, a 79 percent increase over the same period in 2022.

The first fortnight of this month alone saw 8,561 arrivals -- a record for a fortnight since a previous migration crisis in 2006.

Categories : Travel