Four women and three girls die as Canary Island migrant boat capsizes

Four women and three girls have died after a boat carrying dozens of migrants capsized as it approached a port on one of Spain's Canary Islands.

- Ashifa Kassam

Spain's maritime rescue service said the boat, believed to be carrying about 150 people, was spotted 6 miles off La Restinga harbour on the island of El Hierro yesterday.

"It was escorted to the dock by the [state rescue vessel] Salvamar Diphda, and as it was about to disembark, it capsized," the rescue service said on social media, later adding that the movement of people onboard had caused the boat to tip.

Emergency officials, along with workers from nearby businesses and a local diving team, scrambled to pull people out of the water.

Those who died included a 16-year-old and two girls who were believed to be under five years old, according to emergency services.