At least 50 people feared drowned after boat from Senegal sinks off Canary island
About 50 people are feared to have drowned after a boat traveling from west Africa to Europe via the dangerous Atlantic route began to sink about 60 miles south of the Canary island of El Hierro.
Nine individuals were saved from the vessel early on Monday after a passing bulk carrier alerted Spain’s Salvamento Marítimo rescue service, which sent a fast boat and a helicopter from its base in Tenerife.
A spokesperson from Salvamento Marítimo stated, “The helicopter arrived, rescued nine people from the semi-submerged boat, and transported them to El Hierro airport, where they were attended to by medical personnel.”
“The rescue boat confirmed that there were no additional individuals in the boat and returned to base.”
The spokesperson mentioned that the nine individuals rescued were from sub-Saharan Africa, and Spain’s Guardia Civil police force informed Salvamento Marítimo that 60 people were reported to have been on the boat when it departed from the Senegalese city of Mbour nine days prior.
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