A fishing boat, towed by Salvamento Marítimo, is expected to arrive at the Puerto Naos dock in Arrecife around midnight on Monday, carrying twelve migrants from North Africa. This information comes from the Lanzarote Consortium for Security and Emergencies.
The vessel was spotted about 100 kilometres from the archipelago after its occupants requested help from the Maritime Rescue Coordinating Centre due to a breakdown on their journey to the Canary Islands. Initial reports suggest the boat may have been stolen from the Moroccan port of Agadir before setting sail.
The alert was raised by the Guardia Civil on Sunday, prompting Salvamento Marítimo to dispatch the Salvamar Al Nair to assist the boat and tow it to Lanzarote. The initial estimated arrival time was 7:30 PM; however, rough seas have delayed this until midnight.
The figure of twelve occupants is provisional and will be confirmed upon their disembarkation. If it is verified that the fishing boat was indeed stolen in Agadir, it would mark another instance of stolen fishing vessels being used to attempt the dangerous crossing to the Canary Islands, a trend observed in recent months.
This digital news outlet will provide further details once the boat arrives at Puerto Naos and final information about the operation is confirmed.
