Spanish authorities today rescued 80 immigrants from northwest Africa who tried to get to the southern coast of the country on an unreliable ship, reports Maritime Rescue.
The ships of the state maritime safety authority helped immigrants, 79 men and one woman, while traveling aboard a wooden boat (rudimentary barge) in the waters of the Strait of Gibraltar, which separates Europe from Africa.
According to the latest balance published by the government, a total of 24 thousand 31 immigrants arrived in Spain by sea in the first 11 months of 2019, which is 54.7 percent less than in the same period of the previous year, when 53 thousand four were counted.
So far this year, at least 336 immigrants have died or disappeared on the so-called western route of the Mediterranean Sea in their attempts to reach the coast of Spain, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
According to IOM, last year this country became the first access point for migrants and refugees in the European Union (EU).
However, given that there are 62,000 201 arriving before November 26, Greece is returning to become the first recipient country of immigrants in the European Union, an intergovernmental organization based in Geneva said.