Spanish rescue 56 immigrants off Gibraltar

A leaky raft carrying 56 illegal immigrants which went adrift in the Strait of Gibraltar was rescued early this morning, the Spanish coast guard said.

The dinghy, which had a puncture and was slowly sinking, was spotted by a Russian cargo vessel which raised the alarm.

All immigrants of north African descent were safe, after a patrol boat rescued them, the coast guard said.

In a separate incident, Spanish police arrested 38 illegal immigrants last night at Tarifa, on the southern tip of Spain, after they crossed the Strait of Gibraltar, a strip 14 kilometers (9 miles) long separating northern Morocco and southern Spain.

AFP