SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 11th May. (EUROPA PRESS) –
In the recent night, two boats carrying over 130 migrants were rescued by Maritime Rescue near the island of Lanzarote, after setting off from the African coast a few days prior, as officially reported by the public institution.
The rescue mission commenced following a distress call from the passengers of a boat located approximately 50 nautical miles off the shores of Lanzarote. Ships ‘World Prize’ and ‘Kalahari Express’ altered their course towards the area and confirmed that each of them had spotted a distinct boat.
The Maritime Rescue Coordination Center in Las Palmas dispatched the coastguard vessel ‘Calíope’, which successfully located and rescued the individuals aboard the first boat just before 11:00 p.m., and subsequently rescued those from the second boat.
The rescuers expressed their gratitude to the crews of the ships for their cooperation and the vessels resumed their voyages to their destinations. Meanwhile, the coastguard vessel ‘Calíope’ sailed towards Arrecife, where the disembarkation of all the rescued individuals was finalised around 3:00 a.m.
Initially, it was reported that there were 68 people on the first boat (50 men, 15 women, and 3 children), and 61 on the second (57 men and 4 children), all originating from sub-Saharan regions. However, after an official count on land, the total number of rescued individuals rose to 132. Upon reaching land, they received assistance from SUC personnel and volunteers from the Red Cross, and no transfers to healthcare facilities were necessary.
