54 Migrants Rescued at Sea between Spain and Morocco

Spanish and Moroccan coastguards rescued Tuesday 54 illegal migrants who were trying to reach the southern coast of Spain on inflatable boats, Spain's maritime rescue service said.

That brings to nearly 300 the number of migrants who have been plucked from inflatable boats since Friday as they tried to cross the Strait of Gibraltar separating Spain from Morocco.

A Spanish coastguard vessel rescued 22 migrants, including one woman, on Tuesday who were heading to Spain in three boats whole Moroccan coastguards rescued 32 migrants who were in four other boats, Spain's maritime rescue service said in a Twitter message.

Spanish interior ministry officials say the rise in the number of migrants trying to cross the Strait of Gibraltar is partly due to the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan on Thursday.

The Strait of Gibraltar separates Spain and Morocco by only 15 kilometers (nine miles) -- a ferry ride between the two continents takes roughly 35 minutes -- making it one of the key smuggling routes for illegal immigrants crossing into Europe.

Thousands of illegal migrants from Africa regularly attempt to cross from Morocco into Spain on makeshift boats each year.

Some travel thousands of miles overland, being handed from smuggler to smuggler, ending up at one of many ports in northern Africa for a cramped and treacherous sea crossing to European soil.