Thirty-nine irregular migrants died Thursday when their boat sank off Spain's Canary Islands, local media reported Thursday. 

Spanish authorities said the dinghy, which was carrying 40 people and trying to reach the Canary Islands from the North African coast, was found capsized in the Atlantic Ocean, Spanish news agency EFE reported.

The sole survivor, a 30-year-old female migrant, was taken to a nearby hospital by helicopter, it said.

Recently, there has been a major increase in irregular migration from the North African coast to the Canary Islands.

Over 230 irregular migrants have died this year on the dangerous route from Africa to the Canary Islands./aa