Rescue and testimonies
More than 30 people lost their lives in an emergency sea crossing near the Canary Islands, according to survivors’ accounts to the rescue services. The dramatic event took place when a cruise ship rescued a canoe about 800 kilometers south of the archipelago. The boat arrived at the port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, where some of the 67 survivors informed the health authorities that there were more than 100 people when they left on May 30 from Nouakchott, the capital of Mauritania.
During the voyage, at least 33 people died from malnutrition and dehydration after 21 days in the Atlantic, 17 of which were spent adrift. Despite this, only four bodies were recovered, in addition to the two that remained on board the cayuco during the rescue. The rest of the fatalities were thrown into the sea by their companions.
Death toll and additional testimonies
There is a possibility that the death toll is even higher, since the Caminando Fronteras collective suggests that the data from this canoe coincide with an alert provided to the Spanish authorities about a similar departure from Nouakchott. According to the NGO, there were 150 people in the reported canoe, including nine women and an unspecified number of children. If it were the same boat, the number of fatalities would rise to 83.
The survivors reported that they were adrift on the fourth day of sailing, when the boat’s engine broke down. Despite the care received aboard the Insignia cruise ship for almost 30 hours, the vast majority of them arrived ashore in a state of extreme weakness. The crew provided them with food, water, clean clothing and medical care. According to the Red Cross and 112, 64 people needed health care at the port, five of whom were transferred to local hospitals with signs of dehydration, including one serious case.
Composition of the group of survivors
The group of survivors includes three women and three young children, aged between seven and ten. The cayuco was sighted by an oil tanker en route to Brazil, which provided initial assistance and alerted Salvamento Marítimo, which led to the cruise ship being dispatched for the rescue.
Emergency in the Canary Islands
These tragic events coincide with the statements of the Minister of Social Welfare, Equality, Youth, Children and Families of the Canary Islands government, Candelaria Delgado, who warned about the expected arrival of 11,000 unaccompanied migrant minors to the islands. Delgado stressed the urgency of addressing the emergency that is being experienced in the region.