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18 African migrants feared drowned off Spain (Roundup)
Jun 4, 2009, 12:31 GMT
Tarifa, Spain - Eighteen African would-be immigrants were feared to have drowned Thursday after their boat capsized off Tarifa in southern Spain.
Two rescue boats and a helicopter rescued 22 migrants who had taken refuge on top of the capsized boat at about 18 kilometres off Tarifa, officials said.
The figure of those rescued was revised downwards from the figure of 24 which was given initially.
The migrants said the boat, which was travelling from Tangier in Morocco to Tarifa, had carried a total of 40 people. A helicopter was combing the water zone for bodies or more survivors.
Those rescued included 11 women, at least one of whom was pregnant.
The accident occurred in a Moroccan water zone where Spain had the responsibility for rescue operations, according to Spanish officials.
Thousands of Africans are believed to have died when attempting to cross over to Spain by boat.
Thousands usually make it to Spain every year, but the numbers attempting the crossing have now gone down because of Spain's economic crisis.
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