The Spanish coast guard rescued three men who made a daring journey from Nigeria to the Canary Islands while clinging to the rudder of a ship. A photo shared by the coast guard showed them perched dangerously above the water on the oil and chemical tanker Althini II.
The ship had travelled for 11 days from Lagos, Nigeria, to Las Palmas in Gran Canaria, according to Marine Traffic, a ship-tracking website. Once rescued, the migrants were brought to port and received medical care.
The Canary Islands, a Spanish territory off the northwest coast of Africa, have become a major entry point for migrants trying to reach Europe. Data reveals that sea migration to the islands rose by 51% in the first five months of this year compared to the same period last year.
In 2023 alone, over 20,000 migrants risked the treacherous journey from West Africa to the Canary Islands, according to the Red Cross. Tragically, more than 1,100 people lost their lives during these risky crossings — a stark reminder of the desperation driving many to seek a better future.
🔥 “THE MIRACLE ON THE RUDDER: The Shocking 11-Day Journey From Nigeria to Europe” 🔥
In one of the most unbelievable survival stories of the year, Spanish coast guard officials made a discovery that stunned the world…
Three men — exhausted, dehydrated, but miraculously alive — were found clinging to the rudder of a massive oil and chemical tanker after an 11-day journey across the Atlantic Ocean.
🎥 [Insert dramatic pause]
This wasn’t a raft.
This wasn’t a boat.
This was a steel blade barely inches above the crashing waves.
And they survived.
🌍 THE DISCOVERY THAT SHOCKED THE COAST GUARD
When the Spanish coast guard approached the tanker Althini II as it arrived in Las Palmas, they noticed something no one expected. Perched on the rudder — dangerously close to the waterline — were three men from Nigeria, their legs dangling just above the ocean after nearly two weeks at sea.
A photo released by the coast guard went viral instantly:
Three shadows crouched on a thin steel edge… on a ship that had travelled more than 2,700 kilometers from Lagos to the Canary Islands.
How they survived the cold… the waves… the constant danger of slipping into the sea… remains almost impossible to imagine.
🚢 AN 11-DAY JOURNEY OF PURE DESPERATION
According to Marine Traffic data, the tanker departed from Lagos, Nigeria, and spent 11 days crossing the Atlantic before arriving in Gran Canaria.
The men had no shelter,
no food,
no clean water,
and no guarantee they would live long enough to see land again.
Yet they held on.
When they were rescued, all three were immediately rushed to port for emergency medical treatment.
Doctors reported dehydration, hypothermia, and extreme fatigue — but against all odds, the men were alive.
🗺️ THE CANARY ISLANDS: A DOOR TO EUROPE — AND A DEADLY ONE
The Canary Islands — a Spanish territory off the northwest coast of Africa — have become one of the most dangerous migration routes into Europe.
And the numbers tell a heartbreaking story:
📌 Migration to the islands increased by 51% in the first five months of this year alone.
📌 In 2023, more than 20,000 migrants attempted the crossing.
📌 An estimated 1,100 people died — their bodies never found, their stories never told.
For many fleeing poverty, violence, or hopelessness, the Canary route is their last chance. But it is also one of the deadliest paths in the world — with strong currents, unpredictable weather, and overcrowded boats that often fail long before reaching shore.
💔 A SYMBOL OF WHAT PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO RISK FOR HOPE
The story of the three men on the rudder is more than a headline — it’s a symbol of the desperation that drives thousands to risk everything.
Imagine clinging to a moving ship for 11 days.
Sleeping — if you can call it that — while waves break inches from your face.
No food.
No water.
No certainty you’ll see another sunrise.
All for a chance — just a chance — at a better life.
Their journey is a reminder that behind every statistic is a human being.
A dream.
A struggle.
A story that deserves to be heard.
🌟 THE WORLD REACTS
Within hours, social media exploded with shock, sympathy, and outrage.
How did they survive?
How many others didn’t?
And why are so many people being forced into such dangerous journeys?
Humanitarian organizations are once again calling for increased support for migrants and safer, legal pathways to prevent more deaths in the Atlantic.
But for now, the three men rescued from the Althini II are recovering — alive, but forever changed.
🔥 THEIR STORY IS UNIMAGINABLE — BUT TRUE.
And in the end, their survival stands as both a miracle…
and a warning.
How desperate must someone be to cling to a ship’s rudder for 11 days?
