Spanish Maritime Rescue confirms 114 people rescued in Mediterranean Sea
Xinhua,December 14, 2017 Adjust font size:
MADRID, Dec. 14 (Xinhua) -- Spanish Maritime Rescue Services confirmed that one person has died and 114 others were rescued from six inflatable dinghies close to the Isle of Alboran in the Mediterranean Sea between Morocco and Spain on Thursday.
The victim and all of those rescued are from sub-Saharan Africa and were attempting to make the crossing from North Africa to Europe.
16 women have been confirmed among those lifted to safety.
The rescue operation began at around 4 a.m. after Spanish Maritime Rescue services received a call from an aid agency worker in Morocco informing that at least five dinghies had set sail attempting to cross to Spain.
The first two dinghies were discovered five nautical miles west of the Isle of Alboran, Meanwhile it has been confirmed that the Moroccan navy has also rescued two of the dinghies.
The operation remains ongoing on Thursday morning and it has yet to be confirmed in what condition the survivors are in or to which port they will be taken. Enditem