40 Migrants Rescued 10 Miles East of Fuerteventura

Rescue operation

Maritime Rescue rescued approximately 40 migrants who were heading for the Canary Islands aboard an inflatable boat spotted near the island of Fuerteventura.

• The vessel is believed to have departed from an area close to El Aaiún and was heading toward Gran Tarajal.
• The Maritime Rescue Center in Las Palmas received an alert about a patera that had left El Aaiún and was en route to the Canaries. The alert prompted the coordination of nearby ships and the deployment of the Helimer 205 rescue helicopter.
• The Civil Guard, using radar echo data, relayed the probable position of the inflatable boat to the helicopter, which confirmed the sighting.
• Controllers then dispatched the rescue ship Izar and redirected the San Alberto, which was 10 miles away, to the boat’s location.

Minutes before 14:00 h on Saturday, the rescue vessel Izar reached the inflatable boat and began the rescue maneuver, assisting 40 people—mostly Maghreb and Sub‑Saharan nationals. The group consisted of all men except one woman, and all appeared to be in good health.

The Izar is now sailing toward the port of Gran Tarajal, with an estimated arrival time of 16:40 h.