SPAIN’S Maritime Rescue has saved almost 200 people attempting to reach the Andalucian coast from Africa in the space of 24 hours.
The rescue service helped people that were travelling on five boats and recovered four bodies from one of the boats, while one person also passed away after they were airlifted to Almeria airport.
Rescue work began when the Salvamento’s Salvamar Spica boat was sent out during adverse weather conditions to help recover a boat that had been wrecked.
The Spica managed to rescue 16 survivors from the wreckage but also recovered four bodies from the water.
A further rescue service was then sent out at dawn to rescue 50 people, who were all apparently in a state of good health when found, and transfer them to the Port of Motril in Granada.
The following morning, a further 127 people were then rescued from three boats in the Alboran sea, who were taken to the ports of Almeria and Malaga.
It has also been reported that the Salvamento Maritimo are still searching for two more boats, believed to contain 52 and 55 people respectively, which departed from the coasts of Bouyafard, Al Hociema and Tangier; while occupants from one of the boats recovered also told Red Cross volunteers that between 10 and 15 people had disappeared from their boat.
