Three young people found on a drifting boat in French waters between Sardinia and Menorca, 100 nautical miles from Palma de Mallorca, were rescued by the Iberian Maritime Rescue Service.

The Balearic Islands prefecture reported this. According to the same source, the three survivors (a 21-year-old and two 15-year-olds) reported that they set sail from Algeria about 20 days ago to reach Europe and that several of their traveling companions died at sea during the crossing.

Searches for possible missing persons conducted by a French rescue plane have so far been unsuccessful. The three survivors were initially spotted by a sailing boat flying the French flag: once they were taken on board, the French maritime rescue service was called, which in turn requested the intervention of the Spanish authorities. All three were transported by helicopter to a hospital in Mallorca.

(Unioneonline/D)