The Canary Islands are a key destination for boats full of migrants who set off from northwest Africa on the perilous Atlantic route in search of a better life in Europe.
A cruise ship rescued 68 migrants and found five bodies in a wooden inflatable dinghy drifting off the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean, Spain’s maritime rescue agency said Thursday.
An oil tanker heading from northwest Spain to Brazil spotted the boat adrift Wednesday afternoon about 440 nautical miles (815 kilometers) south of Tenerife, one of the seven islands in the archipelago of Canaries.
Spanish authorities diverted the Insignia, a cruise ship, to rescue migrants. The Insignia crew also recovered three of the five bodies from the inflatable boat. The remains of two people were left at sea due to bad weather which prevented their recovery.
The Spanish rescue agency sent a statement saying the Insignia is expected to arrive at the port of Santa Cruz, Tenerife, on Friday.
The Canary Islands are a key destination for boats filled with migrants who set off from northwest Africa on the perilous Atlantic route in search of a better life in Europe.
Spanish Interior Ministry says record 55,618 migrants arrived by boat — most in the Canary Islands — Last year, almost double the previous year. More than 23,000 have landed since the start of the year, according to the ministry.