MADRID (AP) — A humanitarian aid group that monitors the plight of migrants making dangerous sea voyages to Spain said Friday 57 people have died trying to reach the Canary Islands from Morocco on a boat.
Helena Maleno, founder of nongovernmental organization Walking Borders, tweeted those on the boat who died Thursday were 28 women, 17 men and 12 children. She provided no further details.
Contacted by the Associated Press, neither Spain’s maritime rescue service nor emergency services in the Canary Islands had information about the reported incident.
The International Organization for Migration did not immediately reply to requests for information. Moroccan officials could not immediately be reached.
The Atlantic route from the west coast of Africa to Spain’s Canary Islands has become one of the most used and deadliest routes for those desperate to reach Europe.