Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, The Gambia) – A small wooden boat carrying 112 migrants landed today, Tuesday, at the port of La Restinga, on the Spanish island of El Hierro, after an arduous eight-day journey across the Atlantic from The Gambia, according to local emergency services.

The vessel was first detected by the SIVE coastal surveillance system approximately 6.5 kilometers south of El Hierro, prompting the immediate deployment of the Salvamar Diphda rescue boat.

The rescue team escorted the Gambian wooden boat safely to shore, where emergency services and the Red Cross were on standby to provide medical assistance.

Among the 112 migrants were 103 men, nine women, and two children, nationals of Senegal, The Gambia, and Guinea-Conakry.

Upon arrival, they received medical attention, with most showing signs of extreme fatigue and dehydration after enduring the perilous ocean crossing. Fortunately, no serious health complications were reported.

According to accounts from those on board, the group departed from Barra in northern Gambia, covering roughly 1,600 kilometers by sea, one of the longest and most dangerous migration routes to Spain’s Canary Islands.

El Hierro, the westernmost of the Canary Islands, has become one of the main arrival points in recent months amid a renewed surge in crossings along the Atlantic migration route.

Hundreds of people have risked their lives on small, overcrowded boats seeking to reach Spanish territory, often facing treacherous weather conditions and limited supplies during the journey.