SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 13 Oct (EUROPA PRESS) –
Two cayucos carrying nearly 300 migrants have arrived on the island of El Hierro in the last few hours after departing several days prior from an unspecified location along the sub-Saharan coast, according to information provided by Maritime Rescue and the Spanish Red Cross.
One of the canoes was detected around 03:00, when the Civil Guard alerted the Tenerife Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre of a radar signal, indicating a possible boat or cayuco, approximately 12 miles (19.3 km) from La Restinga, prompting the deployment of the salvage vessel ‘Adhara’.
Upon reaching the open sea, they spotted the canoe and escorted it to the port, where disembarkation began around 5:00 a.m. The canoe was carrying 86 individuals, including 4 women and 4 minors, all of sub-Saharan descent, with no transfers required to healthcare facilities.
Meanwhile, on Saturday afternoon, the French Maritime Rescue Centre Gris Nez informed the Spanish Rescue Centre in Madrid that the French-flagged ship ‘Juan Thola’ had observed a canoe 46 miles (74 km) from El Hierro.
Following notification from the Maritime Rescue Centre in Tenerife, the Helimer 201 helicopter and the patrol vessel ‘Talía’ were dispatched to the location. At 7:40 p.m., the patrol vessel reported they had located a canoe and that the helicopter remained on site until the rescue operation concluded.
Ultimately, 207 sub-Saharan individuals were rescued, including one woman and one minor. They commenced disembarking at the port of La Restinga at 10:20 p.m.
