COAST GUARDS have picked up 180 people from three boats, one of which was sinking when found, and have taken them to Almeria City’s port in Spain.
One boat, which was carrying 57 people and was starting to sink, was spotted by a Salvamento Maritimo aircraft at around 3.30pm yesterday (Thursday).
Coast guards said half of the inflatable boat’s passengers were already in the water. There were seven children among those in the water, maritime rescue personnel added.
Coast guards took the 57 people on board the Guardamar Caliope vessel. It had picked up another boat with 55 people on board earlier and took all 112 people to Almeria City’s port and they arrived at 7.30pm.
In a separate operation, coast guards received an alert a boat carrying some 68 people, including seven women, had sailed from Nador in Morocco at about 9.15am.
A Guardia Civil patrol vessel picked up the migrants, who were then transferred to the Salvamento Maritimo’s Salvamar Spica ship which took them to Almeria City’s port.
All the migrants were said to be in good health when they arrived at the harbour.
