Six found dead in migrant boats arriving in the Canaries

Six migrants have been found dead onboard several boats off the Canary Islands, Spanish emergency services said Wednesday.

The discovery was made when rescue services intercepted four boats near El Hierro, the smallest island in the archipelago off the northwest coast of Africa.

One of the boats managed to reach port, where four people were confirmed dead. A fifth person died of "cardio-respiratory arrest," the emergency services wrote on X.

A sixth person was found dead on one of three other boats off the coast, they added.

There was no immediate indication of how many people in total were onboard the vessels.

The number of undocumented migrants reaching Spain via the Canaries has increased sharply in recent months and reached a new annual record at the end of November.

According to the Spanish Interior Ministry, 41,425 migrants landed in the Canary Islands between January and November compared to 39,910 for the whole of last year.

The surge in arrivals has caused concern locally, where the authorities maintain they are unable to handle the influx of unaccompanied minors who have to be taken to reception centers.

Thousands of migrants have died in recent years trying to reach Europe from Africa via the Atlantic Ocean crossing, despite frequent capsizes. The route remains popular because it is monitored less than others in the Mediterranean.