A migrant boat from Gambia was found south of the Canary Islands after nearly a month adrift. Only 45 of the original 128 survived. Among the dead is a baby. Spanish rescue teams intervened under dangerous conditions.
Spanish maritime authorities have confirmed that more than 80 people died after a migrant boat drifted for 26 days south of the Canary Islands. The boat left Gambia on August 7 with 128 people on board. When it was found, only 45 had survived. Five bodies were still on the boat, including a baby. The rest are missing and presumed dead, according to the Spanish agency EFE and Xinhua.
The rescue took place early Thursday morning, when the Guardamar Urania reached the drifting boat about 120 kilometers from Gran Canaria. Rough seas made the operation difficult, and rescuers had to leave the five bodies on board until conditions improved. The survivors, exhausted and traumatized, were taken to the port of Arguineguín, where the Red Cross provided emergency care.
The identification of the vessel was confirmed by matching hull markings with records of a boat that left Gambia on August 7, according to Guardia Civil and the NGO Caminando Fronteras.
The Guardia Civil and the Spanish NGO Caminando Fronteras identified the boat by matching its hull markings to records from Gambia. Survivors said the journey began with more than a hundred people, including four women and a baby. Most did not survive the crossing, dying from exposure and lack of supplies, as reported by EFE and Xinhua.
Salvamento Marítimo found the boat after an aerial search on Wednesday afternoon. The survivors described running out of food and water and facing constant danger at sea. The Red Cross gave immediate help when they arrived, but the loss of life was already overwhelming.
This incident shows the deadly risks of irregular migration to Europe, especially on the Atlantic route to the Canary Islands. The crossing from West Africa is one of the most dangerous, with overcrowded boats, unpredictable weather, and limited rescue resources leading to frequent disasters. Spanish authorities and Xinhua report that hundreds have died or disappeared on this route in recent years, despite more patrols and international cooperation.
Recent days have seen further attempts to reach the Canary Islands: Morocco intercepted a boat carrying 201 migrants off Dakhla, and Mauritania reported intercepting or rescuing 161 migrants, all heading for the Canaries.
Morocco World News and Winnipeg Free Press / AP
Spanish rescue services responded as soon as the boat was detected, but the delay in finding it shows how hard it is to monitor such a large area of ocean. Only 45 people survived out of 128. The presence of a baby among the dead makes the human cost clear, and highlights the urgent need for safer migration options and better coordination to prevent more deaths on these dangerous journeys.
