The vessel was located by the Salvamar Diphda after its occupants managed to call for help when passing through an area with mobile coverage. The migrants, originating from Gambia, Guinea, Senegal, and Sierra Leone, arrived at the port of La Restinga in El Hierro, where the presence of numerous children, many of them very young, caught the attention of emergency teams.
“"Everyone was struck by the number of children, many of them very young."
Initially, the preliminary count identified 20 minors, focusing on the youngest. However, the final intervention report revealed that 40% of those rescued, a total of 39 individuals, were identified as minors. This group includes 22 girls and 17 boys, among them five nursing infants.
Of the minors, 23 (eleven boys and twelve girls) arrived without an accompanying adult and will therefore be placed under the guardianship of the Canarian Government. The competent authorities will be responsible for verifying the ages of those whose minority is not undisputed, applying the legal principle of presumption of minority.
Regarding their health status, the 112 emergency service reported that six minors were transferred to the island's hospital due to various pathologies. Additionally, three of the 28 adult women traveling in the canoe also required hospitalization. The final count also indicated that among the nearly one hundred rescued migrants, 17 individuals formed family units, mostly composed of women and children.
