Four drown in attempt to swim to Spain

FOUR migrants drowned while attempting to swim from northern Morocco to Ceuta, the Spanish enclave that borders the country in North Africa, and were trying to gain access to Spain by swimming around a fence which separates Ceuta from Morocco. 

Details about the migrants, such as names and nationalities, are unknown as yet, but they have been described by the Moroccan news agency, MAP, as “four illegal, sub-Saharan immigrants from the town of Belyounech.” 

Three other individuals who tried to enter Ceuta this way were apparently rescued by the Moroccan navy. Since last year, 15 migrants have died trying to enter the country by sea, and migrants regularly try to cross to Ceuta and Melilla, which also borders Morocco. 

The number of migrants rescued from Spanish waters increased by 55 per cent from 2013 to 2014 with as many as 3,500 rescued from the sea. However, in the last 18 months alone, the number of people who die in trying to reach Europe crossing the Mediterranean via makeshift boats has been more than 5,000.