The Canary Islands coast guard rescued 68 people, including eight children and a baby, from a rickety boat near El Hierro on Tuesday night. This group included four migrants who did not survive the journey.
Upon arrival at the port of La Restinga, on the south side of El Hierro, medical teams provided assistance to 21 of the survivors. Fourteen of them had to be taken to hospital. Symptoms ranged from hypothermia and dehydration to low blood pressure and injuries typical of long journeys at sea. Two people were transported by medical helicopter to Tenerife for further treatment.
Also read: Once again a large number of migrants reach the island of El Hierro
A long and dangerous journey
The migrants were from Senegal, Mali and Guinea Conakry. They had left Nuakchot, the capital of Mauritania, nine days earlier in the hope of a better life. Their journey highlights the desperate situations that drive people to make dangerous crossings, often with tragic consequences.
Urgent call for action after new tragedy
Fernando Clavijo, the president of the Canary Islands, has urgently called for a meeting of the Conference of Regional Presidents to discuss the migration situation on the Atlantic Route following the tragedy. This call is addressed to the Spanish government, the European Union and the various autonomous communities in Spain. The aim is to find joint answers to the migration problems that the archipelago is experiencing.
The despair is over
Clavijo expressed frustration and despair over the continued loss of life, such as that of the four migrants found dead on a boat Tuesday night. He also emphasised the heavy burden the Canary Islands bear in hosting 5,500 minors in 71 centres. He stated, the task of guaranteeing the rights of these children can no longer be borne solely by the archipelago.
A call for in-depth discussion
Clavijo emphasised how these incidents underline the need for a thorough and responsible treatment of the migration issue at the next Conference of Presidents. The Vice President of the Canary Islands, Manuel Domínguez, wondered out loud how long the islands will have to wait for action from the state and the EU. He stressed the urgent need for action to prevent more children, women and men from arriving without resources. Or worse, that people who are simply looking for a dignified existence die along the way.
