Baby Born on Overcrowded Migrant Boat Rescued Near Canary Islands

A Spanish coastguard vessel saved a newborn and her mother after a perilous Atlantic crossing, highlighting the dangers faced by migrants on this deadly route.

A baby girl was born on a packed migrant dinghy carrying 60 people, including 14 women and four children, en route to Spain's Canary Islands.
The Spanish rescue vessel Talía responded to the emergency and safely evacuated the mother and newborn via helicopter to a hospital in Lanzarote, where they are reported to be in good condition.
The boat's passengers, believed to have departed from Morocco, were attempting the hazardous Atlantic migration route, which claimed over 10,000 lives in 2024 according to Caminando Fronteras.
The Canary Islands saw a record 46,843 migrant arrivals in 2024, driven by worsening conditions in West Africa and tighter controls on other European migration routes.
Rescue captain Domingo Trujillo, who has encountered similar cases before, emphasized the emotional impact of the rescue, calling it a rare moment of hope in a challenging humanitarian crisis.