A devastating shipwreck near the Canary Islands has resulted in one of the worst maritime tragedies in the region's recent history.

A vessel carrying at least 84 migrants from Mali, Mauritania, and Senegal capsized during a rescue operation by Salvamento Marítimo.

Only 27 survivors, including four minors, were rescued, while nine bodies were recovered, and around 50 remain missing.

The migrants had been at sea for six days, the last two without food or water, leading to desperation and panic during the rescue.

The search for the missing continues, though hopes of finding more survivors are slim.

The tragedy has overwhelmed local resources, prompting discussions about transferring bodies to larger islands to prevent a forensic system collapse.