At least 14 illegal immigrants are known to have died on their journey to Spain after a cayuco containing a number of corpses was intercepted about two miles south of Gran Canaria.
The boat was detected about two miles south of Gran Canaria at around 07:30 this morning. A Guardia Civil patrol went to intercept and found, in addition to 46 surviving passengers, 13 corpses in the bottom of the boat.
The boat was towed to the port of Arguineguín (Mogán) where Red Cross officials tended to the survivors. Most were suffering from mild dehydration but five were in need of hospitalisation, although their conditions were not classified as life-threatening.
Later, when the Guardia Civil boat returned to patrol the area, another body was found floating in the sea about seven miles from shore.
The authorities have not ruled out finding further bodies.