Since 9.00 pm on Thursday, the Maritime Rescue Service has disembarked more than 1,021 people, one of whom has died, in El Hierro, Gran Canaria and Lanzarote. These individuals were travelling in small boats and dinghies detected on the Canary Islands route, and the service is currently awaiting two further rescue operations.
Off El Hierro, the third cayuco on Thursday was rescued 74 kilometres out by the Maritime Rescue vessel Salvamar Navia, after being spotted by the Helimer 204 helicopter, enabling its occupants to be brought ashore at 9.00 pm: 92 people of sub-Saharan origin, mostly men, including 5 women and 2 minors.
The fourth and fifth cayucos brought to this same island on Thursday were also rescued by the Maritime Rescue Service vessel Salvamar Diphda, 55.6 kilometres away, after being located, likewise, by the Helimer 204.
El Hierro: 501 people arrive on the island
These two groups of passengers, comprising 218 and 283 people respectively, including one deceased person, were disembarked at around 11.45 pm on El Hierro, a task in which the crew of the Navia assisted that of the Dipha.
Among these 501 people, who were of sub-Saharan origin and mostly male, there were numerous women and minors, according to information gathered from the health and emergency services.
La Restinga: More cayucos arrive at the harbour
At 00:58 on Friday, the Salvamar Navia escorted a cayuco, located 20.4 kilometres away and carrying 174 people on board, to La Restinga on the same island, the westernmost of the Canary Islands.
Meanwhile, at 04.42, the Salvamar Mizar assisted another cayuco located 22.2 kilometres away; the number of people on board has not yet been provided by the emergency services.
Another SIVE contact, located 24 kilometres south of La Restinga on the island of El Hierro itself, once again prompted the Salvamar Mizar to be deployed; the vessel escorted a group of 166 people to port, where they were disembarked at 05:42 this Friday.
The Maritime Rescue Service is currently dealing with two new incidents involving vessels carrying migrants near El Hierro, the state-owned organisation has told EFE.
Gran Canaria and Lanzarote report further arrivals
Furthermore, at 10.00 pm on Thursday, Salvamento disembarked an unknown number of people in Arguineguín, in the south of Gran Canaria, from a new group of migrants who had been rescued on the Canary Islands route.
Between 9.00 pm on Thursday and 8.30 am on Friday, 27 men from the Maghreb, who were travelling in a small boat, and another group of 61 people arrived in Lanzarote.
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