Spanish police finds dead baby after immigrant boat lands

Police found an infant dead in its mother's arms after a boat carrying African immigrants ran around on a beach in southern Spain Tuesday, officials said.

The Interior Ministry office in the city of Cadiz said the 8.5-meter (28-foot) inflatable boat had been spotted approaching the coast through the Strait of Gibraltar shortly after 7:00 am (0500 GMT). It was later found broken up by waves on the coast.

It was not immediately clear how many people had been on the boat, but border guards detained 15 African immigrants and the Moroccan skipper of the boat, authorities said.

The immigrants included six women, including one who was cradling a dead baby and four who were pregnant. One was rushed to hospital in Algeciras as she went into labor, a ministry official said.

Hundreds of Africans seeking a better life in Europe try to reach Spain each week packed into small boats. Many are caught, but officials estimate thousands slip through each year. Many drown while making the crossing.

AP