Four Nigerian stowaways who survived a six-day journey on the rudder of a ship from Ivory Coast were rescued near Las Palmas on Saturday night. All appeared to be in stable health, police report.
Four people were rescued Saturday night near Gran Canaria, Spain, after spending six days at sea on the rudder of a ship, the regional news outlet Canarias7 reported on Sunday (October 27).
The rescued were all male and were reported to be Nigerian nationals who had stowed away on the Panamanian-flagged ship, MSC Fiammetta, which had departed from Ivory Coast, western Africa.
The authorities reported that the four men are in stable and healthy condition and will be repatriated to Ivory Coast.
The overall number of people who reached the Spanish archipelago in the Atlantic from the beginning of 2024 to June was estimated to be 18,977, or 78.5 percent of the total number of people who entered Spain irregularly over the same period.
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From country of destination to country of departure
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Ivory Coast has evolved from primarily being a migration destination within West Africa to a country for departure. The IOM reported a rise in outbound migration towards Europe, North Africa, and to a lesser extent, the Gulf from Ivory Coast.
The 2023 Trafficking in Persons Report (TIP Report) released by the US State Department reported at least 1,185 people who had been trafficked to Ivory Coast. The majority of the identified trafficking victims were reported to be mostly from Nigeria and neighboring West African countries.
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Hiding on hidden parts of ship
In a similar incident in November 2022, three stowaways were rescued by the Spanish coast guard after traveling on the rudder of a cargo ship bound for Las Palmas, Canary Islands. The ship had reportedly departed from Nigeria.
The men were found precariously balancing on the rudder of an oil and chemical tanker -- a flat surface at the rear of the ship used for steering.
As European countries tighten borders, migrants are turning to riskier, less detectable methods, such as hiding on ship rudders, to make their way across borders.
Stowing away in hidden parts of a ship such as the rudder can be an especially perilous journey. Migrants risk being thrown overboard by strong currents without anyone's knowledge and without assurance of rescue.
Read AlsoHidden from sight: The dangers of clandestine migration journeys