At least three people died, including a woman believed to be pregnant, and another five were missing after a migrant boat overturned off Lanzarote in the Canary Islands, rescuers said Friday. 

The vessel was carrying 49 people when it hit a rocky area just off the island's northern shores, with rescuers pulling 41 people to safety, emergency services said. 

"Three people died, among them two women, one of whom we believe was pregnant," Enrique Espinosa, head of Lanzarote's emergency services, told AFP. 

"We believe there were 49 people on the boat. We found 44 - 41 of whom were alive, and three of whom were dead. We are searching for 5 people, one female minor and 4 males," he said.

The boat overturned near a village on the northern tip of the island in a very dangerous and rocky area close to the shore which is difficult to navigate, he said, indicating people on land realised what was happening and jumped into the water to help.