Moroccan Navy Intercepts 168 Migrants Attempting Mediterranean Crossing to Spain

On board makeshift boats, including kayaks and jet-skis, the 168 illegal immigrants, all from sub-Saharan Africa, were heading for Spain, just about 15 kilometers away.

The journey did not reach its destination, as the Royal Moroccan Navy Coast Guard intercepted them, the official MAP agency reported, citing a military source.

According to the Frontex agency, arrivals of migrants on the Spanish coasts via the so-called "western" route have generally halved in the first eight months of 2020, with 8,200 illegal entries recorded.

The Canary Islands, about a hundred kilometers off the African coast, are the other gateway to Europe. Moroccans are the second most represented nationality, the military source said.

It is a major hub for the arrival of illegal migrants. Their number has increased considerably, 3,933 from January 1 to August 31, nearly seven times more compared to the same period in 2019, according to the Spanish Ministry of the Interior.