Migrants cheat death as cargo ship changes course to avoid crushing their boat near Spain

Migrants cheat death when cargo ship changes course at the last moment and avoids crushing their tiny boat as they head towards Spain

  • Boat carrying 11 migrants was spotted adrift and sinking in Strait of Gibraltar  
  • Spanish Civil Guard helicopter saw a nearby cargo ship was on collision course 
  • Helicopter used lights to signal the captain to change course, avoiding tragedy
  • Migrants were then plucked from the ocean and taken to port to be processed 

A tiny boat carrying 11 migrants across the Mediterranean narrowly avoided being crushed by a cargo ship after the larger vessel changed course at the last moment. 

The migrants were saved after their stricken boat, which was sinking into the ocean, was spotted by a Spanish Civil Guard helicopter in the Strait of Gibraltar last week.

The helicopter pilot noticed a nearby container ship was on a collision course with the tiny boat, and used its lights to send a signal to the captain to steer clear.

A boat carrying 11 migrants (top left) was found sinking into the ocean in the Strait of Gibraltar last week, while a cargo ship was on a collision course with it

Helicopter crew had initially tried to reach the 1,000ft vessel over the radio, but received no response.

Fearing the worst, they flew close to the bridge of the vessel and used their lights to warn the captain of the danger.

The helicopter then returned to circle the migrant boat until help arrived.

Video taken from the air shows how the container ship passed perilously close to the migrants, causing waves to batter their boat in the process.

Fortunately the vessel stayed afloat and Civil Guard boats were able to pluck the migrants to safety, before taking them to the Port of Algeciras.

A Spanish Civil Guard helicopter noticed the migrants (bottom right) and used its lights to signal to the captain of the cargo vessel to change course

A Spanish Civil Guard helicopter noticed the migrants (bottom right) and used its lights to signal to the captain of the cargo vessel to change course

After the cargo vessel passed by the migrant boat (top right) rescue vessels were able to pluck the stranded people from the water before taking them to the Port of Algeciras

After the cargo vessel passed by the migrant boat (top right) rescue vessels were able to pluck the stranded people from the water before taking them to the Port of Algeciras

So far this year, 204 migrants have died trying to cross the Mediterranean according to website Missing Migrants. 

Fifty nine of those deaths came in the Strait of Gibraltar as migrants tried to cross into Spain, two more came off the coast of Greece, while 143 died trying to sail from Libya to Italy.

Of the 59 who have died trying to reach Spain, 53 of them perished in the last week. 

The majority of the migrants originate in sub-Saharan Africa and are fleeing poverty, war, violence and oppression in their home countries. 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk