More than 80 migrants feared dead after boat rescued off Canary Islands
Over 80 migrants are feared dead after their boat, which departed from The Gambia, was found adrift in the Atlantic Ocean. Spanish rescue teams recovered 44 survivors, but rough sea conditions prevented the recovery of five bodies found on the vessel.
Why it matters
The tragedy underscores the extreme dangers of the Atlantic migration route and the ongoing humanitarian crisis facing migrants attempting to reach Europe.
Image source, Reuters By James Gregory Published 3 September 2026, 11:19 BST Updated 23 minutes ago More than 80 people, including a baby, are feared to have died in a boat which was adrift in the Atlantic Ocean for 27 days.
Spanish Maritime Rescue teams located the vessel some 65 nautical miles southwest of Gran Canaria's coastal town of Arguineguín on Wednesday and found 44 survivors, with five dead bodies also on board.
The boat is believed to have departed The Gambia in West Africa in early August with 127 occupants on board. Human rights activist Helena Maleno Garzón, founder of Spanish charity Caminando Fronteras, said 83 people had lost their lives.
Rescuers were forced to leave the five bodies they found due to the rough sea conditions, Maritime Rescue said.
The organisation was unable to verify how many people were originally on board.
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