Migrants die trying to break into Spanish enclave

MADRID - At least two African migrants died when hundreds tried to cross the razorwire barrier between Morocco and Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta yesterday -- the third such assault in as many days, officials said.

Up to 600 migrants equipped with makeshift ladders tried to scale the guarded border fence, Madrid's top official in Ceuta told Spanish state radio.

Authorities said the two killed had been either crushed in a stampede or had fallen, but gave no details. Other Spanish media quoted police sources saying six migrants had died but this could not be confirmed.

Nearly 1,000 migrants tried to scramble over the Moroccan border into Ceuta's sister enclave of Melilla over the previous two nights. Thursday's was the first major assault on Ceuta.

Some 300 migrants have succeeded in getting into Melilla this week and have been detained by Spanish authorities.

Spain is in the process of reinforcing the fence surrounding Melilla in a bid to keep out would-be migrants, many of whom have travelled for months in the hope of entering Europe.

Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero and his Moroccan counterpart Driss Jettou were due to address the issue at a meeting in Seville later on Thursday.

- REUTERS