More than 80 migrants feared dead after boat rescued off Canary Islands

Over 80 individuals, including a child, are presumed dead following a 27‑day ordeal aboard a stranded vessel in the Atlantic Ocean.

Spanish maritime rescue teams located the derelict boat roughly 65 nautical miles southwest of the coastal town of Arguineguín, near Gran Canaria, on Wednesday and extracted 44 survivors while five bodies remained on board.

The vessel is believed to have departed The Gambia in West Africa in early August carrying 127 people.

Human‑rights advocate Helena Maleno G Arzón, founder of the Spanish charity Caminando Fronteras, reported that 83 people perished.

Maritime rescue officials noted that harsh seas prevented the recovery of the recovered remains.

The organization could not confirm the initial passenger count, as it lies outside its remit.

Fourteen of the rescued individuals are men hailing from sub‑Saharan Africa, according to a spokesperson for Spanish maritime rescue.

“After the rescue was completed, severe weather in the area—featuring 20‑knot winds and 2.5 metre waves—made it impossible to retrieve the five bodies found onboard the vessel,” said the rescue team.

Three of the survivors were airlifted to a hospital in critical condition.

The remaining individuals were transported by sea to Gran Canaria, where they disembarked early Thursday morning.

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