78 migrants rescued off El Hierro, Canary Islands

Spanish maritime rescue services escorted a small vessel carrying 78 migrants to the harbor of La Restinga on El Hierro, Canary Islands, after it was located eight nautical miles off the coast. The rescue operation involved Salvamento Marítimo, the local Red Cross emergency team, the Canary Islands health service, the Civil Guard and the National Police. All passengers were men, and eight of them were minors; they were reported to be in apparent good health.

The migrants said they had departed from Dakar, Senegal, six days earlier, and that the passengers originated from Senegal, Gambia, Guinea‑Conakry and Sierra Leone. After the rescue they were transferred to the temporary foreign nationals centre in San Andrés, Valverde, where an NGO group provided assistance and the individuals were placed under police custody pending further processing.