Spain reports 100 migrants rescued at sea in 1 day

MADRID – Spain’s maritime rescue service says over 100 migrants have been rescued from three boats attempting to reach Europe from northern Africa.

The maritime rescue service said one of the boats discovered Saturday carried eight people in the Strait of Gibraltar. Two larger boats, one with 58 people on board and another with 42, were located in waters east of the Strait.

The Spanish Interior Ministry says 8,834 people arrived by sea without authorization between the start of the year and June 16. That is fewer than the 10,746 who came to Spain by boat during the same period last year, when Spain became Europe’s top entry point for migrants.

The rescue service says 22 migrants were missing from a boat that had trouble Wednesday before it could be reached.