MADRID: Seven African migrants, some of whom “could be minors”, were found dead on Monday as they tried to reach Lanzarote in Spain’s Canary Islands, authorities said.

Authorities found an inflatable boat off a beach at the popular resort of Costa Teguise with five bodies inside, a spokesman for the Guardia Civil police force said.

Two migrants died after they got out while two others are in hospital in a “very serious” state, he added, though he did not know what the cause of death was.

He said that three of those who died “could be minors”.

A further 18 migrants managed to make it onto the beach in Costa Teguise and were taken to the police station, he said.

“We suppose they came from the same boat” which arrived at the island around 1200 GMT, he said.

Emergency services confirmed the number of casualties.

Published in Dawn, January 16th, 2018