Eight boat migrants are rescued off the coast of Benidorm: Three remain missing

EIGHT migrants have been rescued off the Alicante province coast after their boat capsized with three more still said to be missing.

A merchant ship sighted the group in the water some 26 nautical miles east of Benidorm.

The craft along with a Maritime Rescue vessel and a helicopter brought eight people to safety.

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The merchant ship took five people on board and continued its journey towards Fos in France.

The helicopter rescued three others who were taken to Valencia Airport.

Those saved told authorities that three fellow travellers were unaccounted for, with the search continuing some 10 miles south-east of Cabo de la Nao in the north of Alicante province.

The migrants, apparently all of male adults, are from North Africa and they said they set sail from Algeria on June 27.