SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, Oct. 14 (EUROPA PRESS) –
Since yesterday afternoon, Maritime Rescue has coordinated the rescue of eight boats with some 430 people that have been located in waters near Lanzarote, Tenerife and El Hierro, as reported by the public body. This morning alone, 143 people have been rescued in three boats that were intercepted when they were sailing towards the island of Lanzarote from the African coast, adding to the 280 who were rescued during the night.
One of the rescues began around 10:20 a.m. today, Saturday, after the Maritime Rescue Coordination Center in Las Palmas received a notice from a fishing boat reporting that it had sighted an inflatable boat near Arrecife. The sea guard Concepción Arenal went to the indicated position and, after locating the vessel, she rescued the 47 people who were on board and took them to Puerto del Rosario.
At the same time, a new notice was received about another possible boat in the area. Once confirmed, the sea guard proceeded to rescue the 55 people traveling on the boat, including several women, who have also been taken to Fuerteventura.
After 11:30 a.m. another 41 people also arrived at the Arrecife dock and had to be rescued by Maritime Rescue. After being assisted by the personnel deployed at the dock, two transfers have been made to health centers for different pathologies, according to Red Cross sources.
During the night, five other boats were also rescued, two of which were intercepted near Lanzarote, another two south of El Hierro and another further south of Tenerife. About 280 people were traveling in them.
Specifically, one of the rescues began after the Maritime Rescue Coordination Center in Las Palmas received a notice from a fishing boat reporting that it had sighted a boat sailing towards the island of Lanzarote. The Sasemar 101 plane located the boat and the Al Nair rescuer proceeded to rescue the 46 migrants who were on board, 34 men, 9 women and 3 minors, who were disembarked at the Arrecife dock around ten at night.
For its part, the Polimnia sea guard has rescued 44 people – 41 men and 3 women – who have also been taken to the port of Arrecife, where they were treated by the health team.
Another cayuco was sighted last night by the ferry ‘Volcán de Tirajana’ 14 miles from Punta Rasca, south of Tenerife, with its engine damaged. The Alpheratz sea rescue rescued the 29 people on board, one of them with symptoms of hypothermia, and they were disembarked after nine at night in Los Cristianos.
Maritime Rescue coordinated the rescue of another boat with 23 men that was intercepted 5 miles south of La Restinga. The sea rescuer Adhara was in charge of escorting her to the dock, where they received assistance. Likewise, 14 miles south of La Restinga, another cayuco was located with 142 people, all in good general condition.
