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Spain rescues more migrants crossing from Morocco

Rescue vessels picked up 64 migrants including 11 women and two children on Tuesday on two boats adrift for a day between Morocco and Spain, the latest such operation, officials said.

Published: 7 December 2016 09:22 CET

Spain rescues more migrants crossing from Morocco

Photo: Salvamento Maritimo

A navy rescue plane had been searching since Monday for a makeshift boat which had set off from the northern Morocco coast not far from the Spanish enclave of Melilla. After finding it the spotters also found a second one.

All the migrants, who appeared in reasonable condition, were handed over to the Red Cross in the southeastern port of Almeria, Spain's sea rescue service said.

Así fue uno de los rescates de esta tarde. La Guardamar Polimnia ya está entrando en #Motril con los 51 rescatados. pic.twitter.com/47wI5ayOb2

— SALVAMENTO MARÍTIMO (@salvamentogob) December 5, 2016

On Saturday, 92 migrants were rescued off the Spanish coast in several operations.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) says 5,445 migrants arrived by sea in Spain between January and September, while 62 people died while making the crossing.