Three Stowaways Found After Surviving 11-Day Voyage To Spain
Three people who were discovered hidden on top of the rudder of a ship that landed in the Canary Islands from Nigeria have been rescued by a Spanish coast guard.
Lydia Kadima 
The three were spotted sitting on the rudder of the oil and chemical ship Althini II in a photo released by the coastguard on Monday.
According to the ship tracking website Marine Traffic, the Althini II landed at Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, on Monday following an 11-day journey from Lagos, Nigeria.
The coastguard reported on Twitter that after being brought into the port, the migrants received medical attention.
The Canary Islands, which are owned by Spain, are a well-liked entry point for African immigrants trying to travel to Europe.
Spanish data reveals that sea migration to the archipelago increased 51% in the first five months of the year over the same period last year.
According to the Red Cross, more than 20,000 migrants made the journey from the coast of West Africa to the Canary Islands last year. According to the group, at than 1,100 of those persons perished at sea.
Norwegian media said that four stowaways from Nigeria made it through 10 days at sea in 2020 before being discovered in a compartment above the rudder of a Norwegian oil tanker that had sailed from Lagos to Las Palmas.
A 14-year-old Nigerian told the Spanish daily El Pais in the same year that he spent 15 days hiding out in a room atop the rudder of a fuel-laden cargo ship as it traveled from Lagos to the Canary Islands.
According to the Red Cross, migration out of West Africa is still driven by poverty, violent conflict, and the search for employment prospects.
