Spain stages anti-illegal emigration campaign

The Spanish autonomous government of Andalucia (southern Spain) launched a campaign to persuade candidates for illegal emigration not to risk their lives crossing the Straits of Gibraltar in search of a better life in Europe.

The campaign seeks to avoid the loss of lives and to counter the plans of Mafia groups who amass fortunes at the expense of the candidates for illegal emigration, the head of the social integration department of Andalucia's government, Jose Nieto, said.

Some 30,000 tried in 1998 to cross the Gibraltar strait on board small makeshift boats, called "pateras," he said, adding that nearly one thousand perished while attempting to reach Spanish shores.