Since the early hours of Sunday morning, a total of eight boats have been intercepted off the coasts of Almeria, Cádiz, Granada, Murcia and the autonomous city of Melilla with 147 illegal immigrants on board, including four babies and 17 women, 7 of whom were pregnant.
The first boat to be detected was off the Almeria coast, about 36 miles from Cabo de Gata. The occupants, all North African males, were transferred to a Marine Rescue vessel. Shortly after, two more boats were detected in the same area and intercepted by the same Marine Rescue vessel. One of the boats managed to get within two miles of land near Mesa Roldán.
The occupants of a fourth boat managed to evade being rescued and reached land at playa de los Muertos, the occupants now being sought by the Guardia Civil.
Several other boats were intercepted at various points along the coast, including in the autonomous city of Melilla.