DRAMATIC RESCUE: ALMOST 250 MIGRANTS SAVED OFF THE CANARY ISLANDS
A Spanish maritime rescue operation has brought 248 migrants to safety off the coast of Gran Canaria. The group, which included women, children, and two infants, had been drifting for days after their boat lost its engine.
In a dramatic rescue operation, Spanish authorities have saved 248 migrants who were adrift in the Atlantic Ocean. The rescue, the first on the Canary Islands route in over ten days, began when a merchant ship spotted a disabled boat approximately 429 kilometers (about 267 miles) south of Gran Canaria.
The group, which according to the NGO Caminando Fronteras had set off from Senegal, consisted entirely of people from sub-Saharan Africa. Among them were 17 women, 10 minors, and two infants.
After the merchant ship, the Teos, found the boat stranded in a search and rescue (SAR) zone between Spain and Morocco, the Spanish Coast Guard was dispatched to help. They successfully transferred all 248 individuals to their rescue vessel.
The migrants were transported to the Arguineguín pier in Gran Canaria, where they received immediate medical attention. This marks the first major rescue on the Canary Islands route since August 12, when 67 people were assisted in two separate incidents. The event highlights the ongoing dangers faced by those attempting this perilous journey.
