More Than 80 Feared Dead on Migrant Boat Bound for the Canary Islands

More than 80 people may have died during a crossing from West Africa to the Canary Islands in a small wooden boat, according to figures from a migrant-support organization.

Spain’s state maritime rescue service said it found the boat on Wednesday evening, 140 kilometers south of Gran Canaria. Forty-four people were aboard, along with five bodies.

Caminando Fronteras, an NGO known for its network of workers and informants across North and West Africa, said the boat left Gambia on Aug. 7 with 127 people. Some survivors reportedly confirmed that figure to Spanish police, according to Spain’s public broadcaster RTVE.

The organization often learns quickly when boats leave for the Canary Islands, including their departure point and the number of people aboard. Its network also receives distress calls from boats and relatives, who then alert state rescue services.

The crossing in small, open wooden boats across the Atlantic is among the most dangerous migration routes. UNHCR said more than 4,800 people had reached the Spanish Canary Islands from Africa since the start of the year. The number who died from storms, hunger or thirst is not known precisely. UNHCR counted 586 people dead or missing in the Atlantic and western Mediterranean this year, while Caminando Fronteras had reported more than 1,300 dead or missing by May.