Spanish non-profit group Walking Borders says 39 people are feared to have drowned after a dinghy they were travelling in sank off the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean.
The coastguard said workers had recovered the body of a child and rescued 24 other migrants from the ocean. The sinking occurred approximately 160km southeast of Gran Canaria, Spain.
Walking Borders tracks migrant deaths and aids relatives, posted on Twitter that the dead included four women and a baby.
Helena Maleno, the founder of the group, explained that the migrants had endured a wait of more than 12 hours for assistance.
A Moroccan patrol boat managed to rescue 24 individuals. The exact number of people on board the vessel remained unknown, as per the spokeswoman.
Moroccan authorities have not yet issued an immediate response to the incident.
However, the coastguard spokeswoman added that a Spanish helicopter was dispatched to the area in response to a plea for help from Moroccan authorities. The helicopter discovered the lifeless body of a child and did not find any other survivors.
In recent years, the route for migrants from West Africa to the Canary Islands via the Atlantic has gained popularity due to increased crackdowns on illegal migration in the Mediterranean.
The Atlantic is notorious for its strong currents, which render such journeys highly dangerous.
On Tuesday, rescue teams discovered the body of a pregnant woman among the approximately 50 migrants aboard a boat off the coast of the Canary Islands.
Spain serves as a significant entry point for migrants aspiring to find a better life in Europe.
A report published by Walking Borders last year indicated that over 11,200 individuals have died or gone missing since 2018 while attempting to reach Spain by sea.
Last week, a tragic accident occurred in the Mediterranean when a boat carrying migrants from Libya to Italy capsized off the coast of Greece, resulting in the death of at least 82 individuals.
