Spain Finds Missing Fishing Boat Carrying 200 Migrants

The Spanish maritime rescue service announced today, Monday, that a reconnaissance aircraft has located what could be a fishing boat missing for about two weeks after setting sail from Senegal with around 200 migrants on board. A spokesperson for the service stated that the aircraft found "a large boat carrying about 200 people 71 miles south of the Canary Islands," adding that it is "likely" that this boat is the missing one. The spokesperson also mentioned that the rescue ship found 86 people on board, and the departure point will not be disclosed until further investigations are conducted. The boat has been towed to Gran Canaria Island. The organization (Walking Borders) has contacted the authorities in Senegal, Mauritania, Morocco, and Spain, urging them to search for the missing boats. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that at least 559 people died last year while attempting to reach the Canary Islands. Data from the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) shows that 1,135 migrants from Senegal have arrived in the Canary Islands since the beginning of this year.