At least seven people, including two young children, died on Wednesday when a migrant boat capsized just meters from safety as it was being escorted to port on Spain’s Canary Islands, regional emergency services confirmed.
The overcrowded, open-topped vessel—reportedly carrying around 180 people—overturned near La Restinga harbor on the island of El Hierro, the smallest in the archipelago. Among the victims were two five-year-old girls, a 16-year-old girl, and four women.
A spokesperson for Spain’s maritime rescue service said the accident occurred as a rescue vessel guided the migrant boat toward the shore. “Many of its passengers appeared to rush to one side of the precarious vessel, causing it to capsize,” the spokesperson explained.
While the number of arrivals in the Canary Islands has dropped this year, 2024 previously saw record-high numbers of migrants attempting the dangerous Atlantic crossing from West Africa. The journey is notoriously dangerous due to rough seas and the fragile, often makeshift boats used by many migrants.
According to rights group Walking Borders, at least 4,808 people have died attempting the Atlantic route to the Canaries in the first five months of 2024 alone. Many departed from countries such as Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal, and Gambia.
