Survivors of the tragic shipwreck off El Hierro last Saturday have revealed new details about the disaster, which claimed nine lives and left 54 people still missing. According to their testimonies, the small boat, or "cayuco," broke in half and capsized during a nighttime rescue operation on high seas with winds reaching 20 knots (about 37 km/h). The vessel tipped over as the passengers shifted to one side of the boat in a desperate attempt to reach safety.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Saturday, September 28th, when Maritime Rescue was attempting to transfer the 90 passengers on board the cayuco to the rescue ship Guardamar Concepción Arenal. Survivors have told aid workers and the families of the deceased that the boat broke in two while alongside the rescue vessel, just as the evacuation was underway.
The rescue was further complicated by the challenging nighttime conditions and strong winds. Survivors described how the situation deteriorated rapidly when one of the lines securing the cayuco to the rescue ship snapped, causing the small vessel to crash against the larger ship, breaking apart and tossing the remaining passengers into the water.
The tragedy occurred around 12:245am, just seven kilometres off the eastern coast of El Hierro. 63 people went missing in the incident, including minors, from Mali, Senegal, Mauritania, Guinea, and Gambia. So far, only nine bodies have been recovered by the rescue teams, while 54 remain missing despite extensive search efforts.
Two survivors recounted how they fell into the water when the boat broke apart, with one managing to hold onto a line thrown by the rescue crew, while another clung to a life jacket worn by a deceased fellow passenger.
Call for a Transparent Investigation
Humanitarian organisation Caminando Fronteras has called for a transparent investigation into the shipwreck. Helena Maleno, the group's founder, emphasized the need for a detailed explanation of how the 63 people disappeared during the rescue operation. Maleno criticised the treatment of the victims' families and demanded that they be provided with answers about the exact circumstances leading to the loss of their loved ones.
This latest tragedy is one in a string of fatal incidents on the perilous Canary Islands migration route, highlighting the ongoing humanitarian crisis faced by migrants attempting to reach Europe by sea.