Spain intercepts over 400 migrants
Morocco detains 229
Police detained about 190 Africans trying to reach Spain on small launches on Sunday, bringing the number of migrants intercepted off Spain since Friday to more than 400, government and police officials said.
Moroccan authorities have detained since Friday 229 Africans trying to migrate illegally to Europe, official media said.
Five boats were intercepted on Sunday as they tried to cross the Strait of Gibraltar to the south coast of Spain - two off the popular Costa del Sol tourist region.
In the previous two days police had intercepted eight boats carrying about 280 people between them. One capsized and 33 passengers drowned or disappeared.
The Royal National Police of Taza arrested 155 people from Mali, Senegal, Mauritania, Gambia and Guinea aboard a cooling truck and a van on Friday and Saturday in the northern Moroccan mountains, news agency MAP said. They have since been expelled.
In two other incidents authorities caught 74 illegal immigrants aboard three boats in the Mediterranean off the coast of Morocco on Saturday. Two captains were arrested, MAP said.
Every year thousands of people attempt to reach Europe through Morocco as Spain is less than 20 kilometres from the North African country. But many die in the Atlantic and Mediterranean waters aboard rickety boats.
Many of the boats are not seaworthy and sink. At least 4,000 people have died trying to reach Spain since 1997, according to immigrant group ATIME.
Local newspapers reported yesterday that the bodies of eight people from sub-Saharan countries, including two women, washed up on Morocco's Atlantic coast on Saturday.