John Culatto
SPAIN’S coastguard has rescued 35 migrants that jumped into the ocean from a Moroccan fishing boat on inflatable toy dinghies.
The group of migrants, which included seven children, left the fishing boat close to the fishing town of Barbate, authorities said.
The Marine Rescue Coordination Centre in Tarifa raised the alarm after detecting a toy boat on its radar 14 miles southwest of Zahara de los Atunes.
Coastguard vessel Salvamar Arcturus quickly moved the area.
Along with other boats, they started to rescue the migrants from about eight inflatable boats.
The Arcturus then brought the North African migrants to Algeciras, some of them who were suffering from hypothermia.
The Spanish coastguard also rescued a second group of six North African children as well more pateras with adults and children on board.
Spanish coastguard boats based in Tarifa and Algeciras rescued a total of 2,747 people in 2022, latest figures revealed.
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