Journalist's SOS saves 70 migrants in Atlantic 03/09/2007 00:00

MADRID, Sept 2, 2007 (AFP) - Some 70 African migrants were rescued in high seas in the Atlantic Ocean after a French journalist travelling with them used his satellite phone to make an SOS call, Spanish radio said Sunday.

The traditional African fishing boat got into difficulties between west Africa and Spain's Canary Islands, a favoured destination for migrants trying to gain access to the European Union, national radio RNE reported.

A Russian vessel responded to the emergency call and picked them up and on Sunday evening was taking them to Morocco in north Africa.

Also Sunday, a makeshift vessel called a "patera" in Spanish with 16 people on board, including three minors, made port in the Canary Island of Lanzarote, emergency services said.

Last week saw some 300 illegal immigrants reach the Canary Islands on small wooden boats, while maritime rescue ship pulled 130 other migrants from a boat off the coast of El Hierro, the archipelago's smallest island.

A further 57 arrived on Saturday.

More than 6,500 migrants have arrived on the Canaries since the beginning of the year, including more than 1,000 who have arrived in August, according to a representative of the Spanish government on the islands.

AFP

Subject: French news