Maritime Rescue intercepted two boats bound for the Canary Islands yesterday (Sunday), as well as saving a Maghrebi man who was adrift trying to cross the Atlantic to the Canary Islands on a truck tyre.
The recovery mission for one of the vessels started at around 1:15pm when the Guardia Civil reported a radar echo, indicating a potential migrant boat, 13 nautical miles south of Gran Canaria.
The Maritime Rescue Centre in Las Palmas promptly deployed the 'Macondo' rescue boat, which located the migrants just after 2:00pm, and escorted them to the Arguineguín pier in the municipality of Mogán.
Simultaneously, at approximately 1:35pm, the Helimer 204 helicopter spotted another boat, identified as a makeshift raft, sailing about 20 nautical miles south of Fuerteventura. This time the Maritime Rescue Centre in Las Palmas mobilized the 'Izar' rescue boat, which headed to the area while the helicopter continuously updated its position.
By 2:00pm, the 'Izar' reported the successful location of the makeshift boat and shortly after, announced they had retrieved 51 on board, all Sub-Saharan males, who were then transported to the port of Gran Tarajal in the south of Fuerteventura.
During this mission, the 'Izar' also reported that they had spotted and intercepted a male of Maghrebi origin who was drifting on a truck tyre, trying to paddle across the Atlantic to the Canary Islands. He too was transported to Fuerteventura.
