Tragedy on sea route to Canary Islands leaves 83 dead or missing after boat sinks

A boat traveling toward the Canary Islands has been involved in a tragedy, with 83 people reported dead or missing.

According to rescue authorities and the NGO Caminando Fronteras, the vessel had 128 migrants on board and had departed from North Africa 27 days earlier.

The boat was spotted on the evening of September 2, about 120 kilometers southeast of Gran Canaria. A maritime patrol reached it after 11:00 p.m. and managed to rescue 44 people, all men from Sub-Saharan Africa.

Five bodies were also found on board during the rescue operation, but they could not be recovered due to severe sea conditions. The operation was complicated by strong winds and waves reaching up to 2.5 meters.

Three of the survivors, who were in serious condition, were airlifted to Doctor Negrín University Hospital in Gran Canaria. The other survivors were taken to the port of Arguineguín, where they received medical care from healthcare teams and Red Cross volunteers.

Caminando Fronteras said that four women and a newborn baby were also on the journey.

Meanwhile, Spanish authorities are continuing their efforts to identify the victims and fully document the circumstances of the tragedy, which comes at a time of increasing migration pressure on the Canary Islands.