More than 80 migrants feared dead after boat rescued off Canary Islands

Over 80 migrants, including an infant, are believed to have perished aboard a vessel that remained adrift in the Atlantic Ocean for a span of 27 days. Spanish rescue teams discovered the ship approximately 65 nautical miles off the coast of Gran Canaria, specifically near Arguineguín, on Wednesday. The rescue revealed 44 survivors, alongside five decomposing bodies on board.

The vessel reportedly set sail from The Gambia, located in West Africa, in early August, carrying 127 individuals. Human rights activist Helena Maleno Garzón, who leads the Spanish charity Caminando Fronteras, reported that the actual death toll may have exceeded 80.

Rescue efforts were hampered by harsh sea conditions, forcing the team to abandon the recovery of the five bodies. The organization was unable to confirm the original number of passengers on board. The 44 survivors were all men hailing from sub-Saharan Africa. Upon the completion of the rescue operation, adverse weather conditions, characterized by 20-knot winds and waves reaching 2.5 meters, impeded the recovery of the deceased.

Three survivors were airlifted to a hospital in critical condition, while the remaining survivors were transported by sea to Gran Canaria, where they were disembarked early Thursday morning. Fernando Clavijo, head of the Canary Islands government, expressed his outrage on X, stating, "It is intolerable that lives continue to be lost.

The Canaries cannot get used to or accept as normal the fact that the Atlantic continues to be a death trap." The route from West Africa to the Canary Islands is notorious for being one of the world's deadliest migration crossings, with thousands of migrants attempting the hazardous journey annually due to the allure of Spanish territory.