At least 45 illegal immigrants, amost all of whom were sub-Saharians, were drowned in waters off the Western Sahara yesterday when two small boats sank in choppy seas, according to Red Crescent Moon volunteers in Mauritania.

23 died when the first boat went down, while 20 others were picked up by a Moroccan patrol boat.

22 of the 45 immigrants on board the second craft died, while the rest were picked up by a Mauritanian patrol boat.

Five boats with a total of 210 immigrants on board were intercepted off the Canary Islands on Saturday, while 158 on board four boats were picked up on Friday.