Search is on after boat sinks in Lanzarote

The search is on for 11 migrants who disappeared after their boat sank in Lanzarote.

According to reports a Salvamento Maritimo helicopter along with two boats are searching around 12 kilometres east of Lanzarote after a boat sank. It is thought that 11 migrants were missing in the water after the boat sank shortly before the rescue boat could reach them.

The Salvamar Al Nair boat discovered the half sunken boat at around 1:20 am and they were able to rescue 28 people from the water. There were two women and two minors along with 24 men that were rescued.

Only four of the people that were rescued needed to be treated in hospital as they were suffering from moderate hypothermia. One of these was a 14-year-old boy. The rest of the people rescued are said to be in good health and were taken to the dock in La Cebolla.

So far it is feared that some of the missing people may be children. The survivors speaking to the Red Cross and emergency services explained how they left Morocco six days ago and that 10 or 11 of their fellow travellers were still missing.

In other Spanish news, Spain denied protection to six out of ten asylum seekers in 2020.

Many people are fleeing Afghanistan and Taliban rule and Spain has now become the logistical reception centre for people who have fled, and are heading to Europe and the United States. Spain has offered up both the Moron de la Frontera base in Seville and the Torrejon de Ardoz base in Madrid. The bases will allow arrivals to be coordinated and the move has earned Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez much praise from Europe and also his first telephone conversation with American president Joe Biden.

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