An illegal immigrant ship sank on its way to the Canary Islands, Spain
2021-08-08 08:23:49Source: Xinhuanet
Xinhua News Agency, Madrid, August 7 (Xie Yuzhi) A ship carrying illegal immigrants sank on its way to the Canary Islands, Spain, causing one death and 42 missing.
According to the news released by the non-governmental organization “Border Walk” a few days ago, the ship carrying illegal immigrants from sub-Saharan African countries departed from the coast of Dakhla in Western Sahara to the Canary Islands of Spain on the 3rd. The hull was only 30 minutes away from the shore. Water leaks began, and the ship capsized. Ten of the people on board were rescued by a nearby ship and handed over to the Moroccan Coast Guard. Later, the body of a victim was found. 42 people are missing, including 30 women, 8 children and 4 men.
According to Spanish media reports, in the first seven months of this year, more than 7,500 illegal immigrants entered the Canary Islands on about 200 ships, and the number of illegal immigrants increased by 136% year-on-year.
The Canary Islands are located in the Atlantic Ocean to the northwest of the African continent, only about 130 kilometers from the nearest point on the west coast of Africa. A large number of illegal immigrants in West Africa often set off from Mauritania, Senegal, and Gambia to the Canary Islands via simple boats, seeking higher-paying jobs and asylum.
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