At least four dead after migrant boat capsizes off Spanish island of Lanzarote
- Local residents who came to the first rescue said a total of 49 people, mostly from Sub-Saharan Africa, had been travelling on the boat
- Spanish rescue services on Friday said the bodies of two women and one man were recovered during the night
At least four people have drowned after a boat carrying migrants capsized near the coast of the Spanish island of Lanzarote.
Spanish rescue services on Friday said the bodies of two women and one man were recovered during the night.One of the victims had been pregnant, according to the statement.
Later on Friday, the body of a minor was found near Lanzarote. One other person is still missing, with search effort under way.
The inflatable boat capsized about 600 metres (2,000 feet) from the port of Orzola, apparently after hitting rocks in the water. Local inhabitants came to the first rescue after hearing people crying out and were later supported by the authorities.
Forty-four people, including two babies, were rescued. Some of them said a total of 49 people, mostly from Sub-Saharan Africa, had been travelling on the boat.
Two other boats carrying 110 people reached the Canary Islands on Friday, docking in Fuerteventure and El Hierro, according to authorities.
The Canary Islands are located in the Atlantic about 100 kilometres (62 miles) off the African coast. The number of people undertaking the dangerous journey across the Atlantic has risen steeply last year.
According to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), more than 22,000 migrants were counted in 2020. The numbers have slightly gone down in 2021, with more than 5,800 people trying to reach the Canaries from Africa as of mid-June.
There is no reliable information about the number of casualties.
