Dimitris Kouimtsidis
A BABY has died after being born on a small boat carrying migrants to Spain.
The boat carrying 43 passengers was located by the maritime rescue services, 15 miles from Arrecife in Lanzarote.
Rescue personnel tried resuscitating the baby but were unable to save him.
The newborn’s mother was transferred to the Molina Orosa Hospital by helicopter immediately after the boat docked at the volcanic island.
On board was also another pregnant woman carrying twins.
According to reports the boat had been drifting since January 5 when it ran out of fuel.
The Red Cross has reported that the majority of those rescued were Ghanean citizens.
The crossing to the Canary Islands is the longest but also the most dangerous.
Migrants looking to make the crossing tend to choose it because it isn’t as well policed by the authorities as the north of Morocco and it’s more accessible for citizens of other West African countries.
In total, according to the International Organisation for Migration, 602 people have died trying to make this journey.
Arrivals to the Canary Islands have doubled in recent times, something which troubles the Spanish authorities because of the archipelago’s inability to handle more immigrants.
