At least 30 migrants feared dead in Canary Islands disaster
More than 30 migrants are feared to have drowned after their boat sank in the Atlantic Ocean near the Canary Islands.
Walking Borders and Alarm Phone say the boat is believed to be carrying around 60 people.
Spanish authorities have confirmed the recovery of the bodies of a minor and a man, while 24 people were rescued.
The latest migrant boat sinking brings renewed attention to Europe’s handling of the situation.
Helena Maleno Garzon of Walking Borders says that 39 people, including four women and a baby, have lost their lives, whilst Alarm Phone reported 35 people are missing. Both organisations monitor migrant boats and receive distress calls from those onboard or their relatives.
The sinking occurred approximately 100 miles (160 km) southeast of Gran Canaria on Wednesday.
“It’s torture to have 60 people, including six women and a baby, waiting for more than 12 hours for a rescue in a flimsy inflatable boat that can sink,” Garzon said.
A Spanish rescue shop was located just one hour’s sail away from the dinghy on Tuesday evening, but it did not intervene as Moroccan officials had taken charge of the operation. A Moroccan patrol boat eventually arrived on Wednesday morning, approximately 10 hours after the Spanish rescue plane had initially spotted the dinghy, as reported by Reuters.