Two migrants lost their lives and four others are missing off the Canary Islands while a total of 81 people were rescued who were in danger at sea.
After a long night, under difficult meteorological conditions, the rescue ship of the Spanish Coast Guard returned to the port of Gran Canaria, carrying a total of 81 survivors.
According to a Coast Guard spokesman, it sounded the alarm on Friday for a boat in trouble south of Gran Canaria. The Guardamar Polimnia rescued 46 men from sub-Saharan Africa and, on its way back to the port, spotted another boat. As he approached to help, the boat capsized and those on board fell into the sea.
Crew members rescued 35 people, all North Africans, and located a body. Shortly afterwards, a Coast Guard helicopter spotted a second dead body.
According to rescuers, four young men are missing. So far no trace of them has been found in the sea.
Elena Maleno, a member of the non-governmental organization Caminado Fronteras, which informs rescue services when it locates boats with migrants in danger, said another 109 people are at sea and facing difficult conditions, mainly strong winds.
In the last two weeks at least 16 migrants have lost their lives trying to reach the Canary Islands. By mid-November, 18,021 people had arrived in the Canaries, 10% more than in the same period last year.
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