Morocco navy fires on migrant ship, killing one

A local official confirmed the incident to AFP.

Those on board the powerboat were lying down and could not be seen, the official said.

The Spanish driver was unharmed and later arrested, according to the same source, adding an investigation had been opened.

Morocco - a key route for sub-Saharan Africans trying to reach Europe via Spain - said this month it has foiled 54,000 bids so far in 2018 by illegal migrants to cross the Mediterranean to Europe.

The figures included 7,100 Moroccans for the period until the end of August, according to figures released last week by the Moroccan government spokesman.

Since early 2018, Spain has recorded more than 38,000 arrivals by sea and land, according to the International Organization for Migration, making it the most travelled migrant corridor this year.  

Since the beginning of September, social media networks in Morocco have been inundated with videos showing young people from the North African country heading to Spain aboard inflatable boats.

EU leaders are looking to stem the flow of migrants coming via Morocco. The European bloc has been pushing for over a decade to strike a deal that would send migrants who came via the North African country returned there.  

Spanish territories Ceuta and Melilla have the EU's only land borders with Africa, drawing migrants trying to reach the bloc.

In late June, the EU also held talks over building migration reception centres outside its borders in Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia.  

But Morocco's foreign minister rejected the proposal. The high unemployment rate has fuelled concern over migrants - mainly from sub-Saharan Africa - entering the domestic labour market.