Spanish rescue services said two men were found dead when a migrant boat carrying 113 people reached El Hierro early Friday, while an infant was flown to hospital in critical condition.
The boat had left Gambia. Calls for help arrived late Thursday, and the vessel was later located roughly 37 nautical miles south of El Hierro. Rescue crews took 110 people to land; eight women and eight minors were among the group.
El Hierro is one of the Canary Islands. Reuters said migrants use overcrowded boats to try to reach Spanish territory by the Atlantic route from West Africa. The agency described the crossing as dangerous because of its length, rough seas and strong currents. It said attempts generally rise in autumn, when sea conditions tend to be calmer.
The office of the Spanish government’s representative in the Canary Islands said arrivals across the archipelago had fallen 18% year-on-year to 11,527 people so far in 2026. The figure covers the Canary Islands as a whole.
