At least seven people lost their lives after a migrant boat capsized while being escorted to port in Spain’s Canary Islands, regional emergency services reported on Wednesday.
The open-top vessel, reportedly carrying around 180 people according to state broadcaster TVE, sank near the La Restinga harbour on El Hierro, the smallest island in the archipelago.
Among the deceased were two five-year-old girls, a 16-year-old girl, and four women, emergency services confirmed.
A spokesperson from Spain’s maritime rescue service stated that the boat was being accompanied to the harbour when, as it neared the dock, many of the passengers surged to one side of the unstable vessel, causing it to overturn.
Live footage broadcast by TVE showed the moment the boat capsized, throwing passengers—including children—into the water. Many attempted to climb aboard the nearby rescue vessel as crew members threw life buoys to those in the sea.
Alexis Ramos, a spokesperson for the Red Cross, told TVE that members of several local diving clubs assisted in the rescue, with many specialist divers supporting emergency responders.
A medical helicopter was also deployed to aid in airlifting people from the water, emergency services said.
Although the number of migrants reaching the Canary Islands from West Africa reached a record high in 2024, the arrival rate has decreased this year, according to data from the Interior Ministry.
The Atlantic migration route remains particularly perilous, as turbulent seas often overturn the fragile rafts, dugout boats, and dinghies typically used by migrants.
According to migrant rights organisation Walking Borders, 4,808 people died on the Atlantic crossing to the Canaries in the first five months of 2024 after departing from countries including Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal, and Gambia.
