Spain Boat accident off the Canary Islands: Search for 48 migrants unsuccessful

Dozens of migrants have apparently died in a boat accident off the Canary Islands. On Sunday, there was little hope of finding survivors after the search for 48 missing people was unsuccessful.

Regional President Fernando Clavijo had already said on Saturday evening that the missing people were presumed dead. Nine bodies were recovered after the accident. 27 migrants were rescued.

According to the Spanish coastguard, the boat with 84 occupants sank on Saturday night around seven kilometers south of the Canary Island of El Hierro. According to the coastguard, the boat capsized during a rescue operation because all the occupants were crowded on one side of the boat.

For some time now, the number of people heading for the Canary Islands off the northwest coast of Africa in the Atlantic Ocean in the hope of a better life in Europe has been increasing. According to government figures, more than 22,300 migrants had arrived on the islands on board almost 300 boats by mid-August.

The route across the Atlantic to the Canary Islands is particularly dangerous, but less closely monitored than the Mediterranean. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), at least 4,857 people have died or disappeared on the route since 2014, while the non-governmental organization Caminando Fronteras estimates that more than 18,600 people have died during the crossing.