Spanish coastguards rescue 193 migrants in Canary Islands
Las Palmas, Spain, Sep 21 (EFE).- Spanish coastguard services rescued a total of 193 people from small boats in the Canary Islands, the country’s Maritime Services said on Wednesday.
The migrants included 161 men, 24 women and eight minors, including a baby, of sub-Saharan African origins.
The first rescue operation was on the coast of Pájara, in the south of the island of Fuerteventura. A total of 48 people, including 12 women, two minors and a baby, were found on the beach on Tuesday evening after disembarking from a small boat.
Shortly after, rescue services disembarked 58 people in the capital of Fuerteventura. The migrants were sailing in a dinghy to the east of the island when they were found by Spanish coastguards.
Another group of 58 people, including six minors, who were sailing in a dinghy were rescued some 60 kilometers from the island of Lanzarote while 29 more were rescued from a dinghy and brought to the port of Arguineguín on Gran Canaria.
The Spanish government approved on Tuesday a budget of 15 million euros (roughly $14.8 million dollars) for the care of unaccompanied migrant minors arriving in the Canary Islands and Spanish territories in northern Africa, Ceuta and Melilla.
The funds aim to support the territories in their “special effort” to care for unaccompanied refugees arriving in Spain.
Out of the 15 million euros, 6 million ($5.9 million dollars) will be allocated to the Canary Islands.EFE
pcr/mp/jt
