Migrant boat heading from Morocco to Spain sinks, 13 bodies recovered

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
31 Dec 2022 21:35
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Moroccan media adds that the boat had 45 passengers and was heading toward Spain's Canary Islands

Moroccan navy rescued 21 migrants while 45 others drowned when their ship capsized near the Moroccan coast, March 2019 (AFP)

Moroccan media reported on Saturday that the bodies of 13 Moroccans were found after their boat that was trying to reach Spain capsized near the country's south coast.

The boat had 45 passengers and was heading toward the Canary Islands, 24 of whom were directly rescued according to the news site Hespress.

The site added the boat slammed into a rock just 10 minutes after departing the coast on Friday.

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Thousands of people attempt to cross into Europe through Spain each year from North African countries, including Libya, where hundreds of migrants were rescued on Saturday by coast guards.

Morocco in particular is considered a gateway into the EU for sub-Saharan Africans.

The country's 2M news agency said that the migrants were on an inflatable boat that was immediately "damaged and the victims found themselves in the middle of the waves".

Earlier in August, Spanish media reported that about 800 illegal migrants from Africa reached the Spanish coast using dinghies, motor and inflatable boats, and jet skis, over the last 72 hours.

Spanish law enforcement forces intercepted at least 22 vessels that were heading to the regions of Almeria, Murcia, Majorca, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, Ceuta, and Cadiz, La Razon newspaper reported.

The number of illegal migrants has increased by 3.3% in 2022 year on year, the report added.

Also in August, the European Commission allocated $173.83 million to projects dealing with the reception and return of migrants in EU countries that are on the frontline of migrant arrivals, including Spain, where the aid is set to be earmarked for the expansion of the reception system, including in the Canary Islands, helping to alleviate its overload caused by increased migrant flows.