At least 49 die after dinghy sinks near Spanish coast

Only 3 people were rescued. The small boat was found four days after it disappeared.

Evangelical Focus

EFE · MELILLA · 05 JULY 2017 · 15:51 CET

Spanish coastguard’s ‘Sar Mastelero’ searches the waters near Melilla. / Salvacion Maritima,
Spanish coastguard’s ‘Sar Mastelero’ searches the waters near Melilla. / Salvacion Maritima

The Spanish police has confirmed that 49 people have lost their life while trying to reach Spain with a dinghy.

They had left the Moroccan city of Al-Hoceima four days ago, according to a Human Rights NGO. They were aiming to reach the border of Melilla, 130 kilometres away.

One 17-year-old and two adult men have been rescued, but “there are no news” about the other passengers. The police said the chance to find more survivors is very low.

According to the International Organization for Migration, 5,947 people have died in the Gibraltar Strait since 1997. A majority of the migrants trying to reach Spain in small boats from Morocco are men from sub-Saharan countries.

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