The four stowaways were rescued after surviving 11 days at sea by clinging to the rudder of an oil tanker
Spain’s Maritime Rescue Service, who discovered the stowaways, reported that the men were found on a vessel that had departed from Nigeria and was bound for the Canary Islands.
The men, found on the Alithini II oil tanker at Las Palmas port, appeared to have symptoms of dehydration and hypothermia and were taken to a hospital on the island where they received medical attention.
A photo, shared on Twitter, shows the men with their feet dangling just inches from the water. The Malta-flagged ship departed Lagos on November 17 and made its 11-day 2000-mile journey to Las Palmas on Monday, according to the MarineTraffic website.
Although fraught with danger, it is not the first time stowaways have been discovered putting their lives in jeopardy in a bid to reach Spain’s Canary Islands, located off the coast of northwest Africa.
In 2020, a 14-year-old Nigerian boy who spent two weeks at the mercy of harsh weather and choppy seas on a ship’s rudder had also departed from Lagos, Nigeria.
Insecurity, high unemployment, and drought are just some of the things plaguing Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country. As these issues are getting worse, more and more Nigerians are trying to emigrate to Europe and North America.
Insecurity, high unemployment, and drought are just some of the things plaguing Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country. As these issues are getting worse, more and more Nigerians are trying to emigrate to Europe and North America.
