4 migrants drown off north coast of Morocco, 38 rescued

At least four African immigrants have drowned and 38 rescued when the dinghy they were using to attempt to cross the Mediterranean Sea between Morocco and Spain sank on Wednesday morning, local police sources have confirmed.

The dinghy is reported to have sunk in rough seas close to the coast of Alhucemas and although 19 people have been rescued, the remainder are feared lost.

The tragedy happened less than 24 hours after Spanish rescue vessels saved 64 immigrants, including 11 women and two children, from two boats which had been adrift in the Mediterranean Sea in the waters between Morocco and Spain.

Dec. 3 also saw Spanish Rescue Services save the lives of 92 immigrants in the same waters.

Spanish media speculate that this shows an increase in the number of people attempting the dangerous crossing at a time when the number of people attempting to make it from Morocco to Spain usually falls due to worsening weather conditions.

Spanish interior minister Juan Ignacio Zoido is visiting his Moroccan counterpart Mohamed Hassad in Rabat on Wednesday with measures to improve the struggle against illegal immigration and people-smuggling gangs expected to be on the agenda.

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