MADRID, July 4 (Xinhua) -- Some 49 African immigrants are feared to have drowned following the rescue of three men from a dinghy 28 nautical miles north of the Island of Alboran in the Mediterranean Sea between Spain and Morocco, Spanish coastguard said.
The Spanish media reported that Maritime Rescue services on Tuesday saved a 17-year-old and two 25-year-olds from the rubber dinghy, which was described as "half sunk."
The Rescue Services confirmed that the youngest of the three men rescued told them the dinghy had set sail from the north coast of Morocco with 52 people on board on Sunday and had been drifting for almost two days.
A charity based in Morocco had informed of the departure of the boat at around 8 a.m. local time on Sunday, provoking an intensive search in which five aircraft participated.
The dinghy was finally discovered at around 10 a.m. local time on Tuesday in a "semi-submerged" condition and the three survivors were taken to Almeria, where they arrived at around 14:30 and received treatment from medical services.