MADRID: At least one person drowned and 24 were missing after a boat carrying migrants capsized in the Atlantic Ocean off Spain’s Canary Islands, the Spanish coast guard said Tuesday.
The boat departed from Cap Boujdour in Western Sahara with 61 people on board and rescuers overnight only found 36 alive, a spokeswoman for the coast guard said.
Two minors and 10 women were among the survivors rescued off the island of Gran Canaria and transported to safety, she added.
A coast guard spokesman had said earlier on Tuesday that 34 people were rescued and 26 were missing.
According to Spanish NGO, Caminando Fronteras, which helps migrant boats in distress, 27 people died in the accident, including 13 women and six babies.
The Spanish archipelago off the coast of West Africa has become the main destination for migrants trying to reach Europe.
Spain says that a total 6,359 people arrived in the Canaries illegally by sea between January 1 and April 15, 60 percent more than in the same period in 2021.
Last year as a whole, over 40,000 migrants managed to reach Spain by sea, interior ministry figures show, almost the same number of arrivals as the previous year.
Caminando Fronteras said more than 4,400 migrants were lost at sea trying to reach Spain in 2021, more than double the figure from 2020.
One dead, 24 people missing off Spain’s Canary Islands
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One dead, 24 people missing off Spain’s Canary Islands
- The boat departed from Cap Boujdour in Western Sahara with 61 people on board and rescuers overnight only found 36 alive
- The Spanish archipelago off the coast of West Africa has become the main destination for migrants trying to reach Europe
Canadian police investigate reports of gunfire at US consulate in Toronto
- Police said they were at the scene near University Avenue and Queen Street West
- “Evidence of a firearm discharge has been located,” police said in the post
TORONTO: Canadian police are investigating reports that the United States consulate in downtown Toronto was hit by gunfire early on Tuesday morning.
No injuries have been reported.
Toronto police said Tuesday they responded to reports at around 5:30 a.m. that someone shot a gun at the US consulate.
In a post on social media, police said they were at the scene near University Avenue and Queen Street West.
“Evidence of a firearm discharge has been located,” police said in the post.
No suspect information has been released.
“The shooting that took place at the US consulate early this morning is an absolutely unacceptable act of violence and intimidation aimed at our American friends and neighbors,” Ontario Premier Doug Ford said in a statement.
“Everyone at all levels of government and across Canada needs to make clear that there is zero tolerance for this sort of intimidating and dangerous behavior.”
The reported shooting comes after two Toronto-area synagogues were struck by gunfire last weekend.
“The US consulate was shot at. This comes after shootings at synagogues,” Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow said. “This cannot stand. Toronto’s Jewish community has the right to practice their faith and culture and to live their day-to-day lives without fear, intimidation or violence. As we have seen too many times, antisemitic incidents spike when international incidents rise. It is never acceptable to target the Jewish community.”
Chow said there is heavy police presence on Tuesday at both the US and Israeli consulates in Toronto.
The war in Iran has prompted large demonstrations outside the US consulate, both in support and in protest.
