Nearly 70 migrants saved from Canary Islands waters by a cruise ship, with several fatalities reported.
A group of sailors on a ship sailing from the Cape Verde Islands towards the Canaries saves a horde of migrants in the Atlantic Ocean, who were struggling on a boat. This rescue mission occurred approximately 800 kilometers south of Tenerife, Spain, on Thursday, as stated by Spanish rescue services. The ship "Insignia" arrived at Santa Cruz de Tenerife on Friday morning, carrying 67 living and 4 deceased migrants.
Many of the saved migrants, including three kids aged between seven and nine, are believed to come from African countries beneath the Sahara. Five of the rescued were transported to the hospital due to injuries or severe dehydration, with a pregnant woman being admitted as a precautionary measure.
At least six individuals are reported to have perished on the boat, according to the rescue services on the X platform. Due to the turbulent sea, the crew of the ship was unable to recover two corpses. It's speculated that the death toll could be as high as over 30, according to testimonies from the saved. Initially, it was reported that more than a hundred individuals were on the boat when it departed from Mauritania in northwest Africa. Survivors alleged to the state broadcaster RTVE that numerous bodies were thrown overboard during the voyage.
Marcela Posca, a representative of the Spanish Red Cross, claimed to have spoken with several of the saved. They reportedly spent nearly three weeks adrift at sea before being discovered. Posca told RTVE in Tenerife that most of the migrants are currently doing fairly well under the given conditions.
A passenger on the ship told RTVE that the experience was "quite surreal, like stepping into another world and then confronted with the harsh reality." Her husband commended the crew's efforts, stating that they "fed them, washed them, cared for them, and provided medical attention."
The Canary Islands have been witnessing an increase in the arrival of refugee boats for some time now. As per the latest figures from the Interior Ministry in Madrid, there were almost 19,000 migrants by June 15, an increase of over 220% compared to the previous year.
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The rescue vessel, having sailed through the Atlantic, encountered a distressed cruise ship carrying migrants from African nations under the Sahara, situated around 800 kilometers south of Tenerife. Despite the heroic efforts of the ship's crew, tragic losses were reported, with six confirmed dead and the possibility of additional fatalities due to the rough seas preventing the recovery of two bodies.
