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The baby was born on an overcrowded migrant boat traveling from Africa to the Canary Islands this week, the Spanish coast guard said.
They published a photo of the boy who was rescued along with his mother and many other migrants.
The overcrowded inflatable raft was first spotted on January 6 off the island of Lanzarote.
Rescuers believe they reached the ship shortly after the baby was born on the day Spain celebrated Epiphany, a Christian holiday where babies traditionally receive gifts.
The lifeboat captain said they knew there was a pregnant woman on board but were surprised to find a “completely naked baby born 10, 15 or 20 minutes early”.
Domingo Trujillo said that when they reached the vessel, the mother was lying on the floor of the overstuffed raft and the child was being held by another passenger.
On medical advice, the child and his mother were taken by helicopter to a hospital in Lanzarote. Authorities have not reported any other complications.
“It was Three Kings Day and it was the best gift we could have received,” helicopter commander Alvaro Serrano Perez told Reuters.
Crossing the ocean from Africa to the Canary Islands is notoriously dangerous.
More than 46,800 undocumented migrants took the route last year to reach the islands, Spanish government data showed this month.
The Christian feast of the Epiphany, when observers mark the visit of Jesus by Magi – commonly known as the Three Kings, or Wise Men – is widely celebrated in Spain.
Children clean their shoes on the eve of the event known as “El Dia de los Reyes” (The Day of the Kings) and leave them ready for the Three Kings – Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar – to put gifts in them.
