A rescue ship belonging to Salvamento Marítimo towed a damaged yacht into Motril Port in the early hours of today.

The skipper of Twilight called for assistance after a fire broke out on yacht. There were seven people onboard.

It was the Almería sea-rescue centre that dealt with the emergency, despatching both a rescue helicopter, Helimer, and the rescue launch, Salvamar Gienah, as well as the Search & Rescue ship, Mastelero.

Finally, those on board (two Irish citizens, a Spaniard, a German, a Romanian, an Italian and an American) were able to put the fire out themselves without suffering injuries.

Earlier in the week, on Thursday, seven male immigrants were rescued in the Mar de Alborán (a sea area around an island of that name).

A fishingboat had come across them in a sinking open craft and alerted Salvamento Marítimo. The rescue launch, Salvamar Gienah, was sent to locate and pick them up, which they did, around two in the morning.

All of them were Moroccan and were taken to Motril Port to be attended by Cruz Roja and the police, before being transfered to the temporary-holding arrangement in the port itself, the Centro de Atención Temporal de Emigrantes (CATE).