GRAN CANARIA, Spain (AP) – Spanish rescuers arrived on a boat carrying more than 30 migrants and brought them safely to the Canary Islands, but not in time to rescue a child who died at sea.
Rescuers said the small boat was discovered late Friday about 160 kilometers south of Gran Canaria. There were 11 men, 20 women and three children on board who were traveling in very poor condition.
Survivors said a 9-year-old boy died during the trip and threw his body overboard.
About 23,000 migrants arrived in the Canary Islands in 2020, compared to about 3,000 in 2019, according to Spain’s Interior Ministry. More than 500 died in the attempt.
People who take boats are understood to be fleeing poverty, violence or other circumstances, including the COVID-19 pandemic, in African countries and elsewhere.