File photo for representational purposes only
Madrid: Spanish coastguards said Wednesday that they rescued a baby that was born on an inflatable vessel carrying migrants to the Canary Islands.
The newborn was recovered safely along with their mother on Monday, the coastguard service said in a message on X.
They were the latest to make the crossing that has seen thousands drown as migrants try to reach the Atlantic archipelago from Africa.
"Christmas ended in the Canaries with the rescue of a baby born while crossing the sea," the coastguard said.
A coastguard boat "rescued a mother who had given birth aboard the inflatable craft in which she was travelling with a large group of people".
The two were taken by helicopter to Arrecife on the island of Lanzarote, it added.
A record 46,843 undocumented migrants reached the Canary Islands in 2024 via the Atlantic route, official data showed this month.
