Spanish rescue services searched the country’s southeast coastline Monday for 10 migrants who were missing at sea. The search was initiated after a passing ship heard cries from people in the water.
Spanish authorities reported that emergency crews pulled 16 survivors from the Mediterranean Sea and three bodies after one small boat carrying migrants sank.
After a vessel reported distressing sounds 25 km (15 miles) off the coast, rescue boats and helicopters were called in to help.
According to EFE, survivors said that 29 people, mostly men were on the two boats.
Authorities also saved 51 people from an inflatable boat in the Canary Islands, north-west Africa, near Lanzarote.
Spain’s National Police has announced that it has arrested 202 people in connection with the operation of boats carrying migrants on the long, dangerous crossing from West Africa to Spain.
According to the Spanish Interior Ministry, more than 36.300 migrants arrived in Spain by sea last year. This was according to data from Nov. 30. This is 1.4% more than in the same period of 2020.
(This story is not edited by Devdiscourse staff.
