Spain: Rescuers pulls 208 migrants from boats in sea, ocean

Spanish rescuers have pulled 208 migrants from small boats that were headed to either the Iberian Peninsula’s southern coast or Spain’s Canary Islands. Vessels operated by Spain’s maritime rescue service intercepted the boats Saturday in the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The rescue service said 106 people, including 44 women and 20 minors, were found in boats heading for the Canary Islands of Gran Canaria and Lanzarote. Another four boats carried 102 migrants who were crossing the Mediterranean to mainland Spain. The Spanish Interior Ministry says the country has seen a 49% rise in unauthorized migration this year compared to January-August of 2020.