Madrid (Spain), December 19 (LaPresse) – At least four migrants have died, and five others are missing following the sinking of a rubber dinghy northeast of Lanzarote Island, in Moroccan waters. Spanish media reported the incident. The dinghy was carrying 55 people of Sub-Saharan origin.
An initial survivor and one body were recovered yesterday by a helicopter from the Canary Islands rescue service. Later, a rescue boat was deployed and arrived at the port of Arrecife in Lanzarote at 5 a.m. with 45 survivors, including a child, five women, and three bodies.
Yesterday, the migrants called for help using a satellite phone, contacting both the Spanish NGO Caminando Fronteras and the Canary Islands emergency service (112). Initially, they reported that the dinghy was adrift; later, they warned of the shipwreck and that several people had fallen into the water.