GRAN CANARIA, Spain (AP) – Spanish rescue workers reached a boat carrying more than 30 migrants and brought them safely to the Canary Islands, but not in time to rescue a child who reportedly died at sea.
Rescue workers said the small boat was discovered about 160 kilometers (99 miles) south of the island of Gran Canaria late on Friday. On board were 11 men, 20 women and three children who were traveling in very poor conditions.
The survivors said a 9-year-old boy died on the trip and threw his body overboard.
According to the Spanish Ministry of the Interior, about 23,000 migrants arrived in the Canary Islands in 2020, compared to about 3,000 in 2019. More than 500 died in the attempt.
The people taking the boats are believed to be fleeing poverty, violence or other circumstances, including the COVID-19 pandemic, in African countries and elsewhere.