A wooden boat carrying 68 people reached La Estaca in El Hierro late on Sunday.

The 12-metre-long (36') boat was carrying the body of one man who is believed to have died on the journey. Another five were hospitalised suffering from hypothermia and dehydration. One person has since died in hospital.
Countless numbers of immigrants have lost their lives on the perilous journey to the Canary Islands. In February, 29 died including 19 minors, when their boat sank off the coast of Lanzarote.
In 2006 the Canary Islands became the main stop-off point for Africans trying to reach Europe, with a record amount of 31,678 people arriving on their shores. For the first half of this year, only just 1,318 arrivals have been recorded.
This is mainly due to efficient maritime surveillance  and an agreement between the Spanish government and several African nations to allow their people back into their country of origin.       Archive photo