Page 28 - Walking Borders News Today

Source says one child died, 24 people rescued from boat off Gran Canaria

Child among the dead and 24 people rescued in Moroccan-led operation, say Spanish maritime sources

MADRID (Reuters) -At least 35 people on a dinghy en route to Spains Canary Islands have drowned, the migration-focused NGO Walking Borders said on Wednesday.

A rescue operation led by Moroccan authorities said the inflatable dinghy was originally carrying 59 people onboard - with a number still missing, believed drowned

Walking Borders and Alarm Phone say the dinghy was originally carrying 59 people

Helena Maleno, head of Spains Walking Borders migrants charity, said in a tweet that 39 people had drowned, without giving further details, while Alarm Phone, which operates a trans-European network supporting rescue operations, said 35 people were missing.

Neither Spain's coastguard nor the Moroccan authorities would confirm how many people had been on board the vessel or how many might be missing.

Migration-focused organisations Walking Borders and Alarm Phone say the dinghy was originally carrying 59 people.

Rescue workers recovered the body of a minor and plucked 24 other migrants from the Atlantic Ocean off Spain's Canary Islands after their dinghy sank, a Spanish coast guard spokeswoman said.

Child had died and 24 people rescued from sinking dinghy in Moroccan-led rescue operation, Spanish officials say