SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 25 December (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Polimnia Maritime Rescue Guard has saved a canoe carrying approximately 40 individuals in the waters surrounding Tenerife, where they intend to arrive by midday, as stated by the official agency. This marks the third boat rescued in the Atlantic waters in recent hours.
The rescue operation commenced after the emergency services received a notification at around 9:15 a.m. on Wednesday, regarding a canoe whose exact position was not identified, though it was later clarified that it had entered via La Gomera.
Subsequently, the Sasemar 103 aircraft and the Polimnia sea guard were dispatched from the Maritime Rescue centre in Tenerife. They informed the aircraft personnel of the canoe’s whereabouts at about 11 a.m., and updated the position to the Polimnia sea guard within less than an hour of navigation.
Upon reaching the cayuco area, the sea guard proceeded to rescue the 40 individuals onboard, all of whom were sub-Saharan, including four women and three minors. They are anticipated to disembark at the port of Los Cristianos by 1:21 p.m.
Additionally, this rescue follows one conducted in the early hours, approximately 5.5 kilometres from El Hierro, involving 80 individuals on board a different boat, as well as a canoe which was escorted to the Arguineguín dock, located in the Mogán municipality (Gran Canaria), where the number of migrants on that vessel remains unknown.