43 illegal immigrants arrive on El Hierro

43 illegal immigrants have arrived on the coast of the island of El Hierro on a ‘patera’ type boat which left Mauritania seven days ago. Two of the 43 people on board, all male and one minor, have been hospitalised suffering from hypothermia. The immigrants told members of the Red Cross that they originate from from Guinea Conakry and Gambia and they had left the port of Nouadhibou in Mauritania last week. The boat was not detected by the Canarian authorities ‘SIVE’ surveillance system due to the high waves off the coast of the island. The ‘patera’ arrived by its own means at the port of La Restinga, in the municipality of El Pinar, and was spotted by a resident of the area who was fishing at the time and saw how the immigrants ditched their boat and made their way inland.

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