Five rescued as tuna boat catches fire off Lanzarote Coast
A dramatic rescue unfolded in the early hours of this morning (Wednesday) in Órzola, Lanzarote, when a Moroccan-flagged tuna boat ran aground on rocks and later caught fire.
Five migrants, including a minor, were rescued after spending four days at sea without food.
The incident began around 5.00 am, when residents of the La Condesa area were woken by cries for help and the blaring alarm of the stranded vessel. Locals, well-accustomed to the tragedies of migration along this dangerous Atlantic route, immediately called emergency services and rushed to assist. Some even boarded a small inflatable dinghy to check on the occupants, confirming they were still alive.
Emergency crews quickly arrived at the coastline, and the five survivors managed to lower themselves to safety using a rope, where they were stabilised and assessed by medical teams.
Two adults showing signs of hypothermia were taken to the Hospital, while two others were transferred to a Temporary Migrant Reception Centre (CATE). The minor was escorted separately by Guardia Civil officers.
All those on board were of Maghrebi origin and required translation services from the Red Cross to explain their ordeal. Investigators are now trying to determine how they came to be stranded. Early lines of inquiry suggest the boat may have been stolen by workers who had not been paid, or alternatively that the crew were employed on the tuna boat and drifted to Lanzarote by accident.
As the morning wore on, a new crisis emerged. Around 9.00 am, long after the survivors had been evacuated, the abandoned tuna boat suddenly caught fire, forcing fire crews to return to the scene. Concerns have since been raised about the removal of the wreckage and the potential environmental impact on the local coastline.
This stretch of Lanzarote’s northern shore is notorious for its hidden dangers, with rocky outcrops often exposed at low tide. The area has also witnessed previous tragedies: in 2020, eight people died when a small migrant boat overturned here, and in 2021, four more lost their lives in another capsizing.
For Órzola residents, who have repeatedly found themselves at the frontline of these emergencies, today’s events were a rare moment where tragedy was narrowly averted.
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