Spain rescues some 200 migrants off the Andalucia coast

SOME 200 people have been rescued by Spain’s coastguard off the coast of Andalucia.

The maritime rescue service Salvamento Marítimo has picked up 183 people attempting to make the dangerous crossing from North Africa to Spain.

This has brought the total number of people rescued in the Western Mediterranean to nearly 400 in just the last week.

According the Spanish rescue service a further 73 migrants, including ten children, had been rescued from three boats in the Straits of Gibraltar.

Meanwhile another 110 people have been taken to Malaga after being rescued in the Alboran Sea.

This has brought the total number of migrants Spain rescued in less than one week to 391.

Similar operations last week saw coastguards rescue 208 migrants in just 24 hours.

It comes after more than 150 African migrants made it to Spain after climbing over two huge fences into the Spanish enclave of Ceuta.