According to Spanish emergency services, a boat capsizing at a dock in Spain’s Canary Islands on Wednesday resulted in the deaths of four women and three girls.

The maritime rescue service reported locating the vessel approximately 6 miles (9.6 kilometers) from the coast. They stated that the boat overturned as rescuers began removing minors upon its arrival at a dock on El Hierro island.

The rescue service attributed the capsizing to the movement of individuals on board, which caused the boat to destabilize and flip, throwing passengers into the water.

Emergency services reported that four women, one teenage girl, and two younger girls died in the incident. A rescue diver recovered one of the girls.

The service also reported that a helicopter transported two additional children, a girl and a boy, to a local hospital in critical condition following near-drowning experiences.

Local media outlets reported that the small boat appeared to be carrying over 100 individuals. and Red Cross personnel assisted in extracting people from the water.

For years, the Spanish archipelago off has been a primary route for migrants undertaking perilous journeys in unsuitable dinghies and rubber boats. Thousands are known to have perished attempting to reach European territory.

Last year, almost 47,000 individuals successfully crossed to the archipelago, marking a second consecutive record. The majority were from Mali, Senegal, and Morocco, with many departing for Spain from the Mauritanian coast.

The arrivals include thousands of unaccompanied minors.

By mid-May, approximately 10,800 individuals had reached the Canary Islands via the Atlantic route, a 34% decrease compared to the same period in 2024.

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