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 save a child who would have died at sea.
Rescuers said the small boat was discovered on Friday about 160 kilometers (99 miles) south of the island of Gran Canaria. On board were 11 men, 20 women and three children traveling in terrible conditions.
Survivors said a 9-year-old boy died during the trip and they threw his body overboard.
About 23,000 migrants arrived in the Canary Islands in 2020, compared with about 3,000 in 2019, according to Spain’s Ministry of Interior. More than 500 died in the attempt.
People who board boats are fleeing poverty, violence or other circumstances, including the COVID-19 pandemic, in African countries and elsewhere.