The Spanish Civil Guard later confirmed to the NGO Caminando Fronteras that markings on the vessel matched those of a canoe that had departed from Gambia on September 7 carrying 128 people
More than 80 people including a baby have been found dead on a small boat that left Gambia 26 days ago for the Canary Islands.
The canoe was rescued early Thursday morning adrift south of the Canary Islands, when only 45 survivors and five bodies remained on board. Maritime Rescue confirmed to EFE that the vessel was located by one of its planes on Wednesday afternoon, 120 kilometers from Gran Canaria and received help from the Guardamar Urania at midnight.
The boat is believed to have had around 128 passengers on board when it took off from Gambia. Rescue teams were said to be unable to recover the five bodies discovered in the canoe because rough sea conditions made the mission too dangerous.
The Spanish Civil Guard later confirmed to the NGO Caminando Fronteras that markings on the vessel matched those of a canoe that had departed from Gambia on September 7 carrying 128 people, including four women and an infant.
Survivors told Red Cross workers at the Arguineguín dock that they had begun the journey to the Canary Islands with more than 100 passengers on board, many of whom lost their lives during the crossing.
According to preliminary information, which remains subject to verification, all of the survivors are adult men from Gambia and Mali. It was further reported that several survivors were transferred from the port to nearby hospitals, although the exact number has yet to be confirmed.
Many were said to be suffering from dehydration, disorientation and symptoms associated with the ingestion of seawater.
Emergency services in Arguineguín said that among the five bodies discovered aboard the small vessel were two women and a baby.
However, the initial report issued by Maritime Rescue did not provide this level of detail, referring only to the recovery of five deceased individuals.
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