Overview
- Rescue teams recovered 242 people from two cayucos south of El Hierro on November 16, including women and minors.
- The first vessel, located about 30 miles from the island, carried roughly 161 people after reportedly running out of fuel.
- An aircraft (Sasemar 103) and rescue boats Salvamar Navia and Diphda led the operation, with the merchant ship Queen B III standing by the first cayuco until help arrived.
- During the approach, crews found and saved two youths floating on a makeshift raft built from gasoline drums.
- The second cayuco, spotted a few miles from the port, carried 81 people and was escorted to La Restinga, where health teams conducted initial checks and managed a surge that may trigger transfers to Tenerife.