At Least Six Dead After Migrant Boat Capsizes Near Spain's Canary Islands (video)

Four women and a child have been confirmed dead after a boat carrying around 180 migrants capsized as it reached the Canary Island of El Hierro.

At least six people have died after a migrant boat capsized off the coast of El Hierro, one of Spain’s Canary Islands, as rescuers were escorting it to port, regional emergency services confirmed on Wednesday.

The vessel, an open-topped wooden boat carrying an estimated 180 migrants, overturned near La Restinga harbor on El Hierro, the smallest island in the archipelago. According to maritime rescue officials, the incident occurred when many passengers reportedly surged to one side of the unstable craft as it neared the harbor, causing it to tip and sink.

Footage from the scene showed the boat suddenly capsizing, flinging dozens of migrants—including children—into the sea. Several were seen struggling in the water and attempting to climb aboard the nearby rescue vessel, while emergency personnel threw life preservers into the chaos.

A medical helicopter was dispatched to support the rescue operation, aiding in the recovery of those floundering in the rough waters.

This latest tragedy adds to the growing humanitarian crisis along the Atlantic migration route, widely considered one of the deadliest paths for migrants seeking entry to Europe. Although the number of arrivals to the Canary Islands has declined in recent months, the death toll remains staggering.

In the first five months of 2024 alone, an estimated 4,808 people have died while attempting the treacherous voyage from countries such as Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal, and Gambia, according to migrant rights group Walking Borders.

The boat capsizing near El Hierro underscores the grave dangers faced by migrants traveling in overcrowded and unstable vessels on the Atlantic Ocean, where unpredictable weather and poor conditions frequently lead to loss of life.