60 migrants rescued after being missing at sea for several days
Sixty migrants have been rescued from an inflatable boat located around 50 kilometres southeast of Fuerteventura after being missing at sea for several days. The rescue was carried out at around 12:35pm on Friday by the Salvamar Izar, a vessel operated by the Maritime Rescue service.
According to the Red Cross, the group consisted of 56 men, two women and two minors, all of Maghreb and sub-Saharan origin. Emergency services confirmed that everyone on board was in good health.
Boat spotted by rescue aircraft
The inflatable boat was first detected earlier in the morning by a Sasemar 103 surveillance aircraft, which located it about 56 kilometres southeast of the port of Gran Tarajal.
A nearby merchant ship was asked to remain close to the small boat until help arrived, due to poor sea conditions and reduced visibility in the area.
The Salvamar Izar later reached the migrants and began transporting them to the port of Gran Tarajal, in the south of Fuerteventura, where they disembarked later in the afternoon.
Difficult sea conditions during rescue
The rescue operation took place in challenging conditions, with winds reaching up to 39 knots and waves estimated at between five and six metres.
Despite the rough seas, all 60 passengers were safely recovered and brought aboard the rescue vessel. Authorities had been searching for the inflatable boat for several days before it was finally located.
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