Four dead among 112 migrants who left The Gambia for El Hierro
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Seneweb
One hundred and twelve migrants who left The Gambia were rescued off El Hierro after eight days at sea, while four people are believed to have died, including a baby. A one-year-old girl in critical condition was evacuated to hospital, according to Spanish authorities and survivors’ accounts.
One hundred and twelve migrants who had left The Gambia were rescued in the early hours of Friday, 26 nautical miles south of the Spanish island of El Hierro, in the Canary Islands. Two bodies, those of a young man and a baby, were found on board the vessel when it reached the port of La Restinga, Seneweb reports.
According to survivors’ accounts, two other passengers died during the eight-day crossing and their bodies were thrown into the sea, which could bring the death toll to four. A one-year-old girl in critical condition was evacuated by helicopter to a hospital. The group also included eight women and eight minors, all of African origin.
The survivors were assisted by the Red Cross, the Spanish Civil Guard and police before being transferred to a reception centre, according to Seneweb. The landing comes after 125 migrants who had left The Gambia arrived in El Hierro on 25 October, and more than 150 people went missing after another departure from The Gambia on 23 October.
