5 people die when boat carrying migrants capsizes while arriving to Spain's Canary Islands
Scientists walk near the crater at the Cumbre Vieja volcano in the Canary Islands of La Palma, Spain on Wednesday Dec. 15, 2021. (AP Photo/Saul Santos)
MADRID — Spanish emergency services say five people died when a small boat carrying migrants capsized while arriving to port at one of Spain's Canary Islands on Wednesday.
Spain's maritime rescue service, which located the boat some six miles (9.6 kilometres) from shore, said the boat tipped over as rescuers started removing minors as it arrived at a dock on the island of El Hierro.
The movement of people on the boat caused it to tip and then turn over, dumping the occupants into the water, the service said.
At least two of the dead were women, the service said.
Local media reports said the small boat appeared to be packed with over 100 people. Spanish rescuers and members of the Red Cross pulled people out of the water.
The Spanish archipelago located off Africa's western coast has for years been a main route for migrants who risk their lives in dinghies and rubber boats unfit for long journeys in the open sea. Thousands have been known to die on the way to European territory.
Nearly 47,000 people who made the crossing last year reached the archipelago, surpassing previous records for a second time. Most were citizens of Mali, Senegal and Morocco, with many boarding boats to Spain from the coast of Mauritania.
The Associated Press
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CTV News
4 hours ago
- CTV News
‘This is what I want to do': Sask. girls learn what it takes to be a firefighter at Camp Molly
In a field north of Saskatoon, a group of girls from across Saskatchewan take turns smashing car windows. They're practicing car extractions, a life-saving skill used to rescue people trapped inside vehicles. It's part of Camp Molly — a four-day, hands-on camp designed to spark interest in careers in firefighting and emergency services, fields still largely dominated by men. The camp begins by getting the teens geared up. 'We started having races to put our gear on,' said 17-year-old Layla Kitz, who is learning what it takes to be first on the scene. So far, the campers have practiced opening hydrants, rolling hoses, using radio systems — and now, vehicle rescues. For 18-year-old Ava Gunther, the experience opened her eyes to a career she describes as a perfect fit. 'This is who I am. This is what I want to do,' said Gunther, who is currently enrolled in a Primary Care Paramedic program. Scarlett Mercer, 19, attended Camp Molly last year. Now she's a member of the Oxbow Fire Department. 'I'm on a department with majority men. So you know, it's kind of a man's world. We come here and we are the ones who get to take apart the cars. We get to throw the hose, we get to do everything. That's my favourite part,' she said. Krista Bull, deputy fire chief of the White City Fire Department, wants girls to know they belong on the front lines. 'My skill set is very different,' Bull said, laughing about how she can fit into smaller spaces her male counterparts can't. 'When I first showed up on our department, I was the first female. I've been the first female officer to ever take part in the White City Fire Department. So all of those were big honours, big shoes to fill,' she said. Jennifer Cowles, the fire chief of the Saskatoon International Airport, wants to show the next generation of female firefighters what's possible. 'Showing these girls that we started as firefighters. We worked our way through the ranks to become officers, chiefs. That in itself is very rewarding because if you look at the statistics of female officers, female chiefs are very few,' Cowles said, standing beside Bull. Camp Molly launched in Ontario and is named after Molly Williams, North America's first known black and female firefighter. This is the second year the camp has run in Saskatchewan and the first time it's being hosted in Saskatoon.
CTV News
5 hours ago
- CTV News
Kitchener woman charged in Guelph crash involving stolen van
A woman from Kitchener is facing more than a dozen charges after a crash in Guelph. Emergency services were called to the intersection of Wellington Street West and Imperial Road South just before 7:30 a.m. Thursday. Investigators said the driver of a Kia van crossed the centre line and hit another vehicle head-on. The driver of the van was taken to hospital with serious injuries. Police later discovered the van had been stolen and licence plates from another stolen vehicle had been attached. During a search of the vehicle, officers found several empty alcohol cans around the driver's seat, suspected crystal methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, hydromorphone, a scale and drug packaging. Officers said they also found a large number of identification documents and cards in various names. A 29-year-old Kitchener woman has been charged with impaired driving, dangerous driving, possessing stolen property over $5,000, possession stolen property under $5,000, four counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking and 11 counts of possessing identity documents.
CTV News
5 hours ago
- CTV News
Man shot by police officer inside Markham condo unit has died, SIU says
Police say a male who was "actively attacking" a female was shot by police in Markham early Wednesday morning. (Courtney Heels/ CP24) A 34-year-old man shot by a police officer in a condo unit in Markham earlier this week has died, the province's police watchdog says. The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) said in an update on Friday that the man died in the hospital this morning. The agency is investigating the incident that occurred at a condo building near Highway 7 and Village Parkway, east of Warden Avenue, on Wednesday morning. According to the SIU, York Regional Police (YRP) officers received a call from a resident who reported hearing a dispute from another unit. When officers arrived, they 'heard sounds of disturbance from inside,' the SIU said. After entering the unit, one officer, the SIU said, fired his gun once, striking a man. He was subsequently taken to the hospital, the SIU said. YRP previously said the man was 'actively' attacking a woman at the time of the shooting. An SIU spokesperson told reporters at the scene on Wednesday that early information from police suggests the woman suffered stab wounds. The woman was also taken to the hospital with serious injuries. The SIU said she remains in the hospital in stable condition. In Friday's news release, the SIU said investigators have recovered a police-issued firearm and a knife at the scene. The agency has designated one subject official and three witness officials to the case. The SIU is called in to investigate any time police are involved in an incident that results in death, serious injuries, allegations of sexual assault, and/or the discharge of a firearm at a person. With files from Codi Wilson
