24 North African immigrants drown off Spanish island

Source: Xinhua | 02-17-2009 10:07

MADRID, Feb. 16 (Xinhua) -- Twenty-four immigrants from North Africa, including 15 children and a pregnant woman, died Sunday when their boat capsized off the Spanish island of Tenerife, officials said Monday.

So far, 21 bodies have been recovered, Red Cross officials said.

They said the owner of the boat, previously believed to be missing, had also died. Six people were rescued, and five of them were taken to a hospital.

The fiber glass boat, five meters in length, capsized near the coast where the waters are not deep, the officials said.

On Saturday, another boat with 78 immigrants aboard arrived safely at Tenerife island. When police stopped them, many of them escaped, the Civil Guard of Santa Cruz, Tenerife said.

Editor:Zhang Pengfei