A boat carrying migrants sank in the Mediterranean Sea on December 31, 2022. Illustration photo: AFP/TTXVN
Emergency services said the Spanish coast guard rescued 53 migrants in good health near Lanzarote and 61, including a mother and a child, near Gran Canaria. The migrants found near Gran Canaria were all taken to hospital.
In the early hours of June 22, the coast guard intercepted another vessel carrying 54 migrants in good health near the island of Lanzarote. Later that afternoon, migrants on two other vessels were rescued.
The latest operations were launched after the inflatable boat carrying the migrants sank about 100 miles (160 kilometers) southeast of Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands. The Spanish coast guard found the bodies of a minor and a man in the area. The coast guard said a Moroccan patrol boat had rescued 24 people, but it was unclear how many were missing.
The migrant route from West Africa to the Canary Islands across the Atlantic has become more popular in recent years, as local authorities crack down on illegal migration in the Mediterranean. Spain is a major gateway for migrants seeking a better life in Europe.
However, strong Atlantic currents have made the journey to the "promised land" more dangerous. According to a report published by Walking Borders late last year, since 2018, more than 11,200 people have died or gone missing while trying to cross the sea to Spain.
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