A stranded illegal immigrant boat intercepted yesterday morning by a Guardia Civil coastal patrol off the south coast of Gran Canaria was found to contain thirteen dead bodies. A fourteenth corpse was recovered later.

The 46 survivors - all of whom are adults (2 women) from the Sub-Saharian region of north Africa - explained that they had been at sea for around twelve days, the last eight of which were spent drifting aimlessly after the outboard motor of their flimsy boat failed.

Seven are responding well to treatment for hypothermia and dehydration at several local hospitals.

It has been confirmed that the fourteen that died were all adult males.

While the real total may be very much higher, it is known that at least 120 illegal immigrants have perished trying to reach Spain so far this year.

It is impossible to know exactly how many boats sink without trace, though the Pro Derechos Humanos association estimates that it may be as many as one in three.

They estimate that at least 300 may have died this year, a fraction of the 3,500 they claim perished during the whole of 2007.

Official Interior ministry statistics reveal that during the first seven months of this year, 7,165 immigrants have been rescued, slightly down on the same period last year (7,883), but significantly fewer than in 2006, when 17,433 immigrants were intercepted off Spain's coasts between January 1st and July 31st.