More Than 80 Feared Dead After Migrant Boat Drifts in Atlantic for 27 Days

More than 80 migrants are feared to have lost their lives after a boat carrying people from West Africa drifted in the Atlantic Ocean for nearly a month before being rescued near Spain's Canary Islands.

Spanish maritime rescuers located the vessel about 65 nautical miles (120km) southwest of Gran Canaria on Wednesday. The boat had reportedly departed The Gambia in early August with more than 120 people aboard.

Rescuers found 44 survivors and five bodies on the vessel. Three of the survivors were in critical condition and were evacuated by helicopter, while the remaining passengers were taken to Gran Canaria for medical and humanitarian assistance.

83 People Reportedly Died

Spanish migrant-support organisation Caminando Fronteras said 83 people had died during the journey. The group said the reported victims included women and a baby girl.

However, Spanish maritime authorities have not independently confirmed the full death toll. Authorities confirmed the five bodies found aboard the vessel but said the other alleged victims had not been located or rescued.

The boat was reportedly at sea for 26–27 days, leaving its passengers exposed to severe dehydration, hunger, rough seas and other dangers associated with the Atlantic migration route.

Survivors Rescued Near Gran Canaria

The rescue operation was complicated by difficult weather. Maritime authorities said winds of about 20 knots and waves reaching approximately 2.5 metres made it impossible to recover the five bodies found aboard the vessel.

The survivors were identified as men from sub-Saharan Africa, with reports indicating that passengers included people from The Gambia and Mali.

The Atlantic's Deadly Migration Route

The tragedy highlights the continuing dangers faced by migrants attempting to travel from West Africa to the Canary Islands.

The Atlantic route is considered one of the world's most dangerous migration crossings because of its long distances, strong currents, unpredictable weather and the often-overcrowded and poorly equipped boats used for the journey.

Canary Islands President Fernando Clavijo described the continued deaths as intolerable and warned that the region could not accept the Atlantic becoming normalised as a “death trap.”

A Tragedy That Raises Wider Questions

The incident has renewed concerns about the risks faced by migrants leaving West Africa in search of better opportunities or safety in Europe.

It also highlights the difficult balance between border control and humanitarian protection, particularly as migrants increasingly attempt dangerous sea crossings when safer migration routes are unavailable.

Spanish authorities are expected to continue assessing the survivors and investigating the circumstances surrounding the voyage. The precise number of people who died may remain difficult to establish because several bodies were not recovered and the original number aboard the boat has not been independently verified.

Sources - Spanish Maritime Rescue authorities, Caminando Fronteras, and reports from AFP, AP and Reuters.