Spanish rescue service saves 84 migrants, finds 1 man dead

The boat was detected before dawn by a Spanish Civil Guard radar, who then made a swift rescue.

2 min read

26 July, 2023

All of those rescued were of sub-Saharan African origin [Getty images]

Rescuers saved 84 migrants and found one man dead on board a boat close to the Spanish island of Gran Canaria, Spain's Maritime Rescue Service said Tuesday.

A spokesman for the service said the survivors included 83 men and one woman, all from sub-Saharan African countries. Several needed medical treatment on arrival at Gran Canaria, located off the northwest coast of Africa. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to be named in the media.

The boat was detected before dawn by a Spanish Civil Guard radar.

Six migrants also drowned off northern Morocco trying to reach Spain, authorities said on Saturday, the latest deaths in a surge of attempted sea crossings since June.

A total of 54 migrants swam out to an inflatable dinghy off El Kallat beach near Nador on Friday but the boat hit the rocks in heavy seas and six of the passengers died, local authorities said.

The other 48 would-be migrants made it back to shore where they received first aid, the authorities added.

Nearly 1,000 migrants have died while trying to reach Spain by sea in the first six months of 2023, according to the Spanish migrant rights group Caminando Fronteras (Walking Borders).

In recent years, most of the boats heading to Spain have come from Senegal or Morocco .