SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, Feb. 4 (EUROPA PRESS) –
Today, on Sunday, Maritime Rescue stopped six boats carrying 357 individuals as they were heading towards the islands of Gran Canaria and El Hierro. One of them was found adrift, while a seventh boat arrived independently in Fuerteventura with 53 people, according to sources from the public body, the Red Cross, and Cecoes 1-1-2. In addition to the ten small boats that were recorded yesterday, the total number of migrants arriving on the islands this weekend has reached 1,035.
The first rescue operation began at around 2:40 a.m., when the Maritime Rescue Coordination Center in Las Palmas received a report from the Civil Guard about a canoe sailing 9 miles from Arguineguín. Around 3:30 a.m., the ‘Macondo’ sea rescue vessel sighted the vessel and proceeded to escort it to port. Onboard were 37 sub-Saharan men who were in good health, so no transfers to health centers were necessary.
At 5:40 a.m., Maritime Rescue received a distress call from a sailing boat after spotting a canoe adrift 74 miles south of El Hierro. The Rescue Center in Tenerife deployed the sea guard ‘Talia’, which was more than 3 hours away from the reported position. During this time, the sailing boat remained near the cayuco that it had sighted. At around 9:40 a.m., the crew of the sea guard ‘Talia’ initiated the approach and rescued the 55 sub-Saharan individuals onboard, all of them men. Two of them, suffering from severe hypothermia, were transferred to the Ntra. Sra. De los Reyes Hospital.
At 06:15 hours, the sea guard ‘Talia’ reported a suspicious echo to the Maritime Rescue Coordination Center in Tenerife, 4 miles from La Restinga. Consequently, the sea guard ‘Adhara’, based in El Hierro, was mobilized. At around 7:00 a.m., it reported being alongside a canoe and proceeded to escort it to port with 90 sub-Saharan individuals, including two children.
Just before 8:30 a.m., the Civil Guard reported another canoe 8 miles south of La Restinga. The Maritime Rescue Center mobilized the sea rescuer ‘Adhara’, which spotted it at around 9:00 a.m. and escorted it to port. On arrival, the 59 individuals onboard were assisted by SUC, Primary Care personnel, and Red Cross volunteers, all of whom were in good condition.
Around 9:30 a.m., the Civil Guard also alerted 1-1-2 and the Red Cross to provide humanitarian assistance to 63 migrants being taken to the Arguineguín dock. When they came ashore at around 11:15 a.m., they were attended to by health personnel from the SUC and Primary Care, as well as Red Cross volunteers. Two men had to be transferred to a health center for minor pathologies.
Furthermore, at around 2:15 p.m., the Civil Guard informed the Maritime Rescue Center in Tenerife of another new canoe sailing 11 miles south of El Hierro. The sea rescuer ‘Mizar’ was mobilized and located it at around 3:15 p.m. It proceeded to rescue the 53 individuals onboard, all sub-Saharan men. With everyone rescued and the empty canoe in tow, they were taken to La Restinga.
625 YESTERDAY SATURDAY.
Yesterday, Saturday, at 9:00 p.m., the Civil Guard notified Maritime Rescue of another canoe, 12 miles south of Gran Canaria. The Rescue Center in Las Palmas mobilized the rescuer ‘Macondo’, which sighted the boat at around 9:40 p.m. and escorted it to Arguineguín. Onboard were 60 individuals of sub-Saharan origin, all men, including 3 minors.
Later in the afternoon, around 6:40 p.m., another alert from the Civil Guard reported a canoe sailing 14 miles south of Arguineguín. The sea rescuer ‘Macondo’ was mobilized and it located the canoe around 7:35 p.m. It escorted it to port with 91 sub-Saharan individuals onboard. After being assisted by SUC health personnel, Red Cross volunteers, and Primary Care, three transfers were made to health centers for various pathologies.
Combining the two, a total of ten irregular boats arrived in the Canary Islands yesterday, Saturday, carrying 625 migrants. They specifically reached the islands of El Hierro, La Gomera, Gran Canaria, and Fuerteventura, with three of them arriving under their own power.
