A RAFT with the bodies of five sub-Saharan African migrants has been found off the coast of Cartagena (Murcia).
They were discovered by a merchant ship, the Baltic Wave, the crew of which called the coastguard.
The ship was told to stay in the area until rescuers got there.
It took around two-and-a-half hours for emergency service aircraft to reach the scene, around 70 miles off the coast.
Given that the bodies were already in a decomposed state, the coastguard opted to tow the jerry-built sailing boat back to Cartagena port rather than remove the five deceased Africans.
They expected to arrive at Cartagena's Santa Lucía pier by around 03.00 this morning (Saturday).
Thousands of sub-Saharan migrants attempt the perilous crossing to Europe every year on barely-seaworthy and overcrowded crafts, and many do not make it to dry land.
