16 plastic boats from North Africa crossed the straits in less than 48 hours to reach the Andalusian coast in Spain. Hundreds of immigrants, among them women and children, embarked on small plastic toy rafts that could carry no more than 8 people in each in order to reach southern Europe.

So far, 8 of the 16 vessels have been detected, carrying 84 people. The Spanish government has activated its rescue crews as has the government of Morocco.  The Spanish government has also activated it Ebola protocols