MADRID, Feb. 4 (Xinhua) -- The Spanish Government Delegate in Melilla confirmed on Sunday that the bodies of around 20 migrants from sub-Saharan Africa had been recovered from the sea off the coast of the North-African enclave.
The bodies were originally spotted by a passenger vessel, which had sailed from Melilla at 15:30 p.m. on Saturday, and then lifted from the sea by Moroccan rescue services.
The final number of victims has yet to be confirmed and could eventually be as many as 47, according to a member of the charity "Caminando Fronteras" (Walking Borders) Helena Maleno, who said on Twitter that so far the bodies of 21 victims have been recovered.
She added the victims had been travelling in a dinghy containing 47 migrants and "for the moment no survivors have been confirmed."
The Spanish Civil Guards are currently using boats and helicopters to search the area for survivors or bodies, although it is now very unlikely to have any survivor.
