34 migrants rescued at sea after their dinghy burst into flames

The Portuguese Air Force rescued 34 Moroccan migrants from the sea after a boat carrying them burst into flames off the Spanish coast on Sunday.

The cause of the fire was not known, but video showed the inflatable dinghy suddenly catching fire near the engine, and the migrants swiftly jumping into the water to save themselves.

The Portuguese Air Force rescue plane spotted the dinghy and, in coordination with the Almeria sea rescue service, were able to retrieve all the migrants from the water safely.

A record 5,000 migrants are believed to have drowned in the Mediterranean Sea in 2016.

Figures from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) show that more than 350,000 migrants and refugees had entered Europe by sea arriving mostly in Greece and Italy.