MADRID, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- At least seven people have drowned after a dinghy carrying African migrants capsized off the coast of Lanzarote, one of the Canary islands off the coast of West Africa administered by Spain.
Local emergency services confirmed that 28 people have been rescued while seven bodies have been recovered from the dinghy which overturned just meters away from the shore late on Tuesday night.
The rescue operation continued on Wednesday and the possibility of finding more victims has not been ruled out.
Spanish TV network RTVE reported that the dinghy was on the point of landing when it overturned and the rapid action of members of the emergency services has avoided the loss of more lives.
The tragedy came after Tuesday saw the arrival of over 300 migrants in various small boats and dinghies which had made the dangerous crossing to the Canary Islands from the coast of North Africa.
The Canary Islands have seen a sharp rise in boat landings, with more than 18,000 migrants arriving this year alone, according to the report of El Pais, a Spanish-language daily newspaper in Spain. Enditem
