Bodies of 16 migrants recovered off Morocco's coast

Moroccan coast guards have recovered the bodies of 16 migrants off its northern coast near the Spanish enclave of Melilla, local media reported Sunday.

The bodies were taken to the morgue of Al Hassani hospital in the northern city of Nador, the Alyaoum24.com news website reported.

One victim was identified as Moroccan, while the others were sub-Saharan Africans, the report said. There were three women among the victims.

The bodies were spotted Saturday floating on the water by a Spanish ship, which contacted Moroccan coast guards afterwards, the report added.

It is likely that the migrants had attempted to reach Europe by sailing from Melilla, before their boat sank due to storms, said a medical official.

Morocco's coast guards have witnessed in recent years an increasing number of migrants who were desperate to reach Europe from Africa.

According to EU's border agency Frontex, the number of migrants arriving in Spain in 2017 hit a record high of nearly 22,900.