The Latest: Spain saves 292 migrants crossing Mediterranean
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — The Latest on migration to Europe (all times local):
7:50 p.m.
Spain’s maritime rescue service says it has rescued 292 migrants attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea to Europe from North Africa.
The agency says those rescued from five boats Monday included 17 women and three children.
They were picked up in a stretch of the Mediterranean known as the Alboran Sea and in the Strait of Gibraltar.
Spanish Interior Ministry statistics show just over 8,800 migrants have arrived in Spain this year. That is down by almost 18% on last year.
Several hundred migrants rescued in a 24-hour period is an unusual occurrence compared with recent years, when Spain became the biggest entry point for unauthorized migration to Europe.
Good weather usually increases crossings.
___
4:20 p.m.
Turkey’s coast guard says that the death toll has risen to 12 after a boat carrying migrants to Greece sunk off the Turkish coast.
The coast guard says 31 other migrants have been rescued after the boat sank in the Aegean Sea, off the coast of Bodrum. The region is close to the Greek island of Kos.
The coast guard says the 12 bodies have been found inside the wreck of the boat at a depth of 32 meters (105 feet).
___
11:45 a.m.
Turkey’s coast guard says eight bodies have been recovered from a boat that was carrying migrants to Greece and which sank off the Turkish coast.
The coast guard says 31 other migrants have been rescued after the boat sank in the Aegean Sea, off the coast of Bodrum. The region is close to the Greek island of Kos.
The coast guard says that eight bodies have been found inside the wreck of the boat at a depth of 32 meters (105 feet).
___
10:40 a.m.
Turkey’s coast guard says it has rescued 31 migrants after their boat sank off the Turkish coast and is searching for an estimated nine others who are unaccounted-for.
The coast guard said the boat went down in the Aegean Sea off the coast of Bodrum early on Monday. The region is close to the Greek island of Kos.
Two coast guard boats, a helicopter and a team of divers were involved in the search-and-rescue operation, the coast guard said.
It was not immediately clear why the boat sank.
Although the number of people heading to the Greek islands from the Turkish coast has decreased since the height of the refugee crisis in 2015, hundreds continue to make the crossing each week.
The Western Journal has not reviewed this Associated Press story prior to publication. Therefore, it may contain editorial bias or may in some other way not meet our normal editorial standards. It is provided to our readers as a service from The Western Journal.
Truth and Accuracy
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.
