Canary Islands migrant boat: two dead, five reportedly died

Spanish maritime rescuers found two dead migrants aboard an inflatable boat carrying 132 people toward the Canary Islands, and survivors said five others died during the crossing.

Spain's Salvamento Maritimo said one of its vessels intercepted the boat early Monday. A spokesman for the service said some passengers reported that five migrants had died and their bodies had been thrown overboard.

The boat, carrying 120 men and 12 women, was taken to the port of Arrecife on Lanzarote.

Canary Islands regional president Fernando Clavijo said on X that the Atlantic route was again claiming lives off Lanzarote and urged Spain's central government to provide more resources.

A second boat carrying 59 people was rescued early Monday. On Sunday night, 107 sub-Saharan African migrants, including three minors, were brought safely to El Hierro.

The Canary Islands are one of the main routes into Europe for migrants fleeing poverty, conflict and persecution. Spain's interior ministry says 8,970 migrants reached the islands by sea from January 1 to October 15 this year, down 33.5 percent from the same period in 2025.