Photo Shows Stowaways Sitting Just Above Water on Ship's Rudder After Perilous 11-Day Journey at Sea

Mar. 15, 2025

Three stowaways have been hospitalized after traveling from Nigeria to Spain on the rudder of an oil and chemical tanker.

The Spanish coast guardrescued the menon Monday after the ship, theAlithini II, reached the Canary Islands following11 days at sea, according to The Associated Press andThe Guardian.

The 183-meter (600-foot) vessel, which bore a Maltese flag, departed from Lagos, Nigeria, on Nov. 17 and arrived in Las Palmas in Gran Canaria on Monday, per the reports.

The Spanish coast guardshared a photoon Twitter showing the men perched just above the boat’s waterline.

Spain’s Maritime Safety and Rescue Society said the men were brought to port and transported to hospitals for medical attention after showing symptoms of dehydration and hypothermia, according to the AP.

The Spanish government’s delegation in the Canary Islands told the outlet that all three men are from Nigeria.

Salvamento Marítimo

Two of three stowaways have beenreturned to the ship, while the third remains hospitalized, according to Reuters.

The Canary Islands are apopular destinationfor African migrants looking to reach Europe, according to Reuters and CNN.

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Approximately 22,500 migrantswere observed crossing from West Africa the Canary Islands in 2021 alone, according to the Red Cross. More than 1,100 of those migrants are confirmed to have died at sea, though many more are believed to have perished.

The Red Cross says migrants leave West Africa for various reasons, including extreme poverty, violent conflict and climate change.

“Simply put, migration is their last hope to provide healthier and safer lives for themselves and their families,” the Red Cross website says.

source: people.com