Rescue efforts resumed Sunday in search of 48 missing migrants who disappeared after their boat capsized off the coast of El Hierro in Spain’s Canary Islands. The tragic incident occurred just as Spanish maritime rescue teams were attempting to assist the overcrowded vessel, leaving at least nine confirmed dead and hopes of finding additional survivors rapidly dwindling.
The rescue operation, which is being led by Spain’s maritime rescue service, was launched after the vessel overturned on Saturday, scattering passengers into the waters surrounding El Hierro. The boat, which set sail from Nouadhibou in Mauritania—approximately 800 kilometers (500 miles) away—was believed to be carrying up to 90 migrants. So far, 27 people have been rescued.
Regional authorities have expressed little optimism about the fate of the missing. “The 48 people are presumed dead,” stated Fernando Clavijo, the regional president of the Canary Islands. Clavijo also noted that more bodies would likely wash ashore in the coming days due to strong ocean currents.
The tragedy unfolded as the migrants, who had been adrift for two days without food or water, panicked and rushed to one side of the boat, causing it to capsize. “This desperation likely led to the chaos that overturned the vessel,” Anselmo Pestana, head of the Canary Islands prefecture, told reporters at the port of La Estaca.
The migrants had contacted emergency services themselves, prompting Spanish rescue teams to respond. However, the frantic actions of the passengers as help arrived proved deadly. According to Spanish government sources, the exact number of those on board may exceed the initial estimate of 84, meaning over 50 people could still be missing.
This incident is part of an ongoing humanitarian crisis involving migrant journeys from West Africa to Europe. Many migrants attempt the treacherous Atlantic crossing in overcrowded, unsafe boats in hopes of reaching mainland Europe. The journey, often marked by inadequate supplies and perilous weather conditions, has claimed thousands of lives in recent years.
In early September, 39 migrants lost their lives when a boat sank off the coast of Senegal, following a similar route to the Canary Islands. As the number of tragic fatalities continues to rise, European authorities remain under pressure to address the escalating dangers migrants face on these perilous sea crossings.
This latest disaster serves as a stark reminder of the desperate lengths people are willing to go in search of a better life and the deadly risks they face in doing so. Rescue teams, meanwhile, continue scouring the waters off El Hierro, but with little hope of finding more survivors.
