An astonishing photograph showing a new-born baby on board an inflatable boat carrying 64 migrants to Lanzarote has been published around the world
The photo was taken by a worker on the Maritime Rescue vessel Talia shortly after they had arrived to intercept the inflatable on 6th January. The baby had been born around 15 minutes before they rescue vessel arrived, and the child and mother were evacuated to the boat before later being taken to hospital by helicopter.
The Talia’s skipper, Domingo Trujillo said that he was grateful he didn’t have to cut the umbilical cord, as he had to do when attending to a previous birth at sea.
The New Year has begun with a wave of pateras (boats carrying migrants). 13 vessels carrying 822 people have been intercepted in 2025 so far.