By The Spanish coastguard said it found three migrants stowed away on a ship that arrived in the Canary Islands from Nigeria.
The authorities confirming the claim, said that the migrants were taken into the port and attended to by health services.
A photo shared by the coastguard shows the men sitting on the rudder at the oil tanker’s stern, their feet less than a metre away from the water.
They were taken to hospital at the tanker’s destination in Gran Canaria and treated for moderate dehydration.
According to the BBC, the Maltese-flagged Althini II arrived in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, from Nigeria’s largest city Lagos – a journey of more than 2,700 nautical miles.
This isn’t the first time stowaways have been found on rudders, which are large blade-like fins found under ships and used for steering.
The Canary Islands is a famous route for African migrants attempting to reach Europe. Spanish data shows migration by sea to the archipelago jumped 51% in the first five months of the year compared to a year earlier.
The names and identities of the Nigerians are yet to be revealed.
The Nigerian government is also yet to address this event.
