By Daniel Aondoaseer Zendesha 

Three Nigerian men have reportedly survived an 11-day Atlantic Ocean journey after hiding on the rudder of an oil tanker travelling from Lagos to Spain’s Canary Islands.

Three Nigerians have survived an extraordinary and potentially fatal journey across the Atlantic after reportedly spending 11 days clinging to the rudder of a large oil tanker travelling from Lagos towards Spain’s Canary Islands.

The men were reportedly discovered after the vessel, identified as the Alithini II, arrived in Las Palmas, where Spanish maritime authorities rescued them from their precarious position above the waterline.

According to reports about the incident, the tanker travelled more than 2,700 miles from Lagos to the Canary Islands, leaving the three men exposed to the dangers of the open ocean for almost two weeks.

Their reported hiding place on the vessel’s rudder offered little protection from the elements. They were exposed to cold nights, strong winds, heavy waves, hunger and dehydration during the voyage.

The location also presented an immediate physical danger. A loss of balance or a sudden movement of the vessel could potentially have thrown them into the Atlantic.

Spanish coast guards reportedly spotted the men when the tanker reached Las Palmas and took them to safety. They were said to have been extremely weak and dehydrated after the journey but survived the ordeal.

Benue Info-pedia could not independently verify all details surrounding the men's decision to undertake the journey, including their identities or the circumstances that led them to hide aboard the vessel.

A dangerous route in search of opportunity

The incident has again drawn attention to the extreme risks some migrants are prepared to take in attempts to reach Europe.

For people seeking employment, economic opportunities or improved living conditions abroad, irregular migration can appear to offer a route out of difficult circumstances. But journeys involving ships, overcrowded boats or concealed positions on vessels can expose migrants to severe and sometimes fatal dangers.

Unlike conventional sea travel, people hiding on ships may have little access to food, drinking water, medical assistance or protection from changing weather conditions.

The three men's survival is therefore remarkable, but it should not obscure the danger involved.