EU patrol off W. Africa

European boats will patrol the coast of west Africa next month to try to stop illegal migrants making the perilous sea journey to Spain's Canary Islands, the EU border agency's deputy director said yesterday.

Spain, struggling to stem the flow of boatloads of desperate migrants from sub-Saharan Africa, has asked the 24 other European Union nations for help.

More than 10,000 immigrants have reached the Canaries by boat this year, compared with around 4,700 in the whole of last year.

About 15 EU states have responded positively to Spain's call and will take part in the sea patrol mission to try to intercept illegal migrants before they leave African waters, Gil Arias told Reuters in a telephone interview.

"It's better to do it on the African coast, to prevent the start of the immigrants' journeys because when they are arrive on European coasts it's not practical, they are already in Europe and we have to accept them," Mr Arias, from the Frontex border agency, said.

"Our plan is to patrol the African coast, and the Spanish authorities have already got authorisation from Mauritania, Senegal and Cape Verde to do this in their territorial waters," he said from Frontex's Warsaw headquarters.

Mauritanian and Senegalese officers will be aboard the European boats because while in African waters, EU officers will have no power to send people back to their countries, he said.

"This decision has to be taken by the local authorities." The mission will also conduct search and rescue operations, Mr Arias added.

Hundreds are believed to die during the risky voyage of more than 1,000 km from Mauritania and Senegal, often organised by people-traffickers who have a lucrative business carrying would-be migrants seeking a better life in the wealthy EU.

The border agency was created last October. With a staff of 60 and a €12 million 2006 budget, it helps coordinate border missions but does not finance them itself.

"We have no border guards or policemen," Mr Arias said. Spain last month asked other EU states for five patrol boats, five helicopters and an airplane. Portugal and Italy have offered boats; Finland, Britain and Italy a total of three aircraft, and about 15 countries will send experts, Mr Arias said.

"We realise we are not in a capacity to monitor the whole coast, for sure, but we more or less know the points from where the illegal immigrants come and these points are going to be the main focus for us," he said.

Mr Arias said the mission would start next month and last a month, but could be extended if necessary. Experts will meet in Madrid next week to finalise preparations.

The EU border agency is also preparing a more modest mission to EU member Malta, which will involve sending experts to the island to help with return and identification of immigrants.

EU leaders are due to pledge to step up cooperation with African countries on migration when they meet in Brussels today and tomorrow.

And experts from Europe and Africa are crafting a joint plan to fight illegal migration, to be adopted by ministers at a meeting in Rabat on July 10-11.