Spanish maritime rescue authorities intercepted a severely distressed migrant boat drifting approximately 65 nautical miles southwest of Gran Canaria, after it was spotted by a rescue aircraft on Wednesday.
Rescuers found five bodies aboard the vessel, but adverse weather conditions, including high waves and strong winds, prevented the immediate recovery of the remains.
A total of 44 survivors were initially accounted for. Three people in critical condition were airlifted to hospital, while 41 others were taken ashore at the port of Arguineguín in Gran Canaria.
Helena Maleno, founder of migrant rights organization Walking Borders, said survivor accounts indicated that dozens more people may have died during the journey. Survivors reported that the boat had departed from The Gambia nearly four weeks earlier and had spent roughly 27 days at sea.
They said more than 80 people had initially been aboard, including women and a baby.
“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,” Maleno said on X.
Spanish Maritime Rescue said it could independently confirm only the five bodies physically found aboard the vessel, meaning the overall death toll could be significantly higher than the confirmed figure.
The Atlantic route from West Africa to the Canary Islands is among the world’s deadliest migration crossings.
Thousands of migrants attempt the journey each year in overcrowded boats, despite the dangers posed by rough seas, strong currents and the long distance.
The number of migrants reaching the Canary Islands from West Africa has fallen 57.4% so far this year, according to official data.
