At least 80 people, including an infant, are feared dead after a migrant vessel carrying over 120 passengers drifted in the Atlantic Ocean for nearly a month while attempting to reach Spain’s Canary Islands.
Spanish emergency services rescued 45 survivors and discovered several deceased individuals aboard the small wooden fishing vessel early Thursday, approximately 120 kilometres (74 miles) off the coast of Las Palmas in Gran Canaria.
The vessel had initially been spotted overnight by an aircraft operated by Spain’s Maritime Rescue service, prompting immediate deployment by the Civil Guard and local maritime units.
Departure from Gambia and deadly Atlantic drift
Survivors reported that the boat departed from the Gambian coast 26 days prior with approximately 128 people on board. Markings and inscriptions identified on the hull matched reports of a missing migrant canoe that set sail from Gambia nearly a month earlier.
Five bodies were located inside the vessel upon interception. However, rescue crews were unable to immediately recover the deceased due to severe weather and rough sea conditions.
The 45 survivors were safely evacuated and brought ashore to the port of Arguineguín for emergency medical evaluation.
The passage from Gambia to the Canary Islands spans roughly 2,000 kilometers (1,242 miles), making it one of the longest and most hazardous maritime routes used by West African migrants attempting to enter the European Union.
Escalating casualties along the Atlantic migration route
The Atlantic crossing from West Africa—with departure points in Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, and Morocco—is widely documented as one of the world’s most perilous migration channels.
According to data from the migration-monitoring organisation Caminando Fronteras, approximately 1,300 people lost their lives attempting to reach the Spanish archipelago in the first half of 2026 alone.
The crisis extends beyond the Canary Islands to Spanish enclaves such as Ceuta on the North African coast, which has experienced a surge in sea-based entry attempts in recent months.
The continuous influx has heightened political debate in Spain, with opposition figures criticising Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s administration over its border-control policies. At the same time, government officials accuse political opponents of capitalising on humanitarian emergencies for political gain.
Read Also: U.S. detains 2,200 migrants in largest one-day immigration arrests
