The risks faced by migrants making the sea crossing to the Canary Islands from Africa were underlined again yesterday when seven people died after their boat capsized as it arrived in El Hierro.
The tragedy occurred in the small harbour of La Restinga, a frequent landing point for the unsafe wooden boats that carry thousands of migrants on the perilous trip across from the west coast of Africa every year.
The emergency services say that approximately 160 migrants were on the boat when it overturned as the occupants were preparing to disembark in the harbour.
Many became trapped underneath and seven – four women and three young girls – are known to have drowned. Two children were rushed to the island’s hospital in a serious condition and a small number of other occupants were treated for minor injuries at the scene.
The boat had approached to within five metres of the quayside and was drawing alongside a Sea Rescue vessel which was tied up in the harbour when its occupants stood up in preparation for disembarking and caused the boat to tip over, tossing many migrants into the water.
The prompt response by the vessel crew and emergency workers based in La Restinga saved many others who were pulled from the water within minutes of the boat capsizing.
Interviews with the shaken survivors helped establish that the boat had been at sea for ten days and there were up to 20 babies and children on board.
Spain’s top official in the Canaries, Anselmo Pestaño, said migrants often arrive in a state of complete exhaustion after a long crossing and this makes disembarkation or transfer to a Sea Rescue vessel a particularly delicate operation. “If their boat capsizes, they often do not have the capacity to react” added Pestaño.
Images of the tragedy appeared almost immediately on news channels due to the presence of TV cameras in La Restinga to film the arrival of the boat, which is believed to have been detected some distance out to sea.
Coincidentally, the fatal capsizing occurred just hours before Spain’s minister for children was due to fly into El Hierro on a fact-finding trip to meet with agencies and associations who provide care for the many unaccompanied child migrants who arrive on the boats from Africa.
Commenting on the capsizing, Spain’s prime minister Pedro Sánchez expressed his condolences to the families of the dead migrants and said that “everyone in the country should be moved by the El Hierro tragedy and the deaths of people seeking a better life”.
Photo credit: RTVC
