Sunbathers help migrants washed up on beach in Gran Canaria, Spain

SUNBATHERS in Gran Canaria, Spain, have joined forces with emergency workers to give water, food and clothes to a group of migrants who arrived unexpectedly on Aguila beach on Friday, November 29.

Three children and a pregnant woman were among some two dozen migrants helped by tourists and locals as they sprang into action after a migrant boat landed on the shores. Exhausted, cold and seemingly in a state of shock, they were given thermal blankets and privisions by rescue workers.

The sun-seekers who had been on the beach to enjoy the sunshine have been praised for assisting the aid workers, with one woman seen cradling a young migrant while another gave her water. Another used his beach towel to keep her feet warm.

Emergency services said that the Spanish Red Cross later looked after the migrants made up of twelve men, eight women and three children, six of whom were treated at a local hospital. None have been reported to be in serious condition.

It is reported by the Red Cross that those on-board spent six days navigating the rough waters of the Atlantic, with aid worker Jose Antonio Rodriguez stating that “it was a really tough journey.”

As Euro Weekly News understands, according to data from the Ministry of Interior, by mid-November of this year some 27,594 migrants have arrived in Spain, a decrease of more than 50% from last year. The popular tourist destination of the Canary Islands has however seen an increase of 22% more arrivals, with 1,493 migrants coming to the region this year.