Rescued Just Before Disaster on Route to Lanzarote

Rescue service saves 55 migrants from a semi‑submerged inflatable bound for the Canary Islands

The rescue vessel Al Nair rescued this Sunday 55 immigrants who were traveling in an inflatable that was stationary and partially submerged in Atlantic waters. The migrants are being transferred to the port of Arrecife, Lanzarote, according to maritime rescue sources reported to EFE.

The aircraft Sasemar 103, which located the zone around 13:00 (Canary time), observed that one of the balloons was partially deflated, not moving and partially submerged. The crew reported that there were no people in the water, that the occupants were calm, and that the inflatable remained stable.

The Las Palmas Rescue Center then dispatched the Al Nair, which arrived minutes after 14:00 (Canary time) at the inflatable. The vessel proceeded to assist the immigrants, who were apparently in good health.

The Al Nair reached the port of Arrecife around 18:00 on Sunday afternoon.