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A migrant swims frantically towards a rescue ship off the coast of Libya in the early hours of Thursday night, Aug. 2, 2018. Rescuers from the Spanish non -profit Open Arms saved 87 migrants off the coast of Libya in a dramatic nighttime operation. The group included eight minors. (AP Photo/Valerio Nicolosi)

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Migrants wait to be rescued off the coast of Libya in the early hours of Thursday night, Aug. 2, 2018, as rescuers throw life jackets at them and urge them to stay calm. Rescuers from the Spanish non -profit Open Arms saved 87 migrants off the coast of Libya in a dramatic nighttime operation. The group included eight minors. (AP Photo/Valerio Nicolosi)

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A Guardia Civil officer holds a migrant inside a sport centre in Los Barrios, southern Spain, after being rescued by Spain's Maritime Rescue Service in the Strait of Gibraltar on Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2018. Spain's foreign minister says the European Union's executive branch has allocated 55 million euros ($64.2 million) to manage an upsurge of migrant arrivals mostly from Morocco. With nearly 23,000 arrivals recorded so far, Spain has become this year the main entry point into Europe for migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea by boat. (AP Photo/Marcos Moreno)

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A migrant rests at the dock of the port of Algeciras, southern Spain, after being rescued by Spain's Maritime Rescue Service in the Strait of Gibraltar on Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2018. Spain's foreign minister says the European Union's executive branch has allocated 55 million euros ($64.2 million) to manage an upsurge of migrant arrivals mostly from Morocco. With nearly 23,000 arrivals recorded so far, Spain has become this year the main entry point into Europe for migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea by boat. (AP Photo/Marcos Moreno)

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A young migrant stays inside a sport centre in Los Barrios, southern Spain, after being rescued by Spain's Maritime Rescue Service in the Strait of Gibraltar on Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2018. Spain's foreign minister says the European Union's executive branch has allocated 55 million euros ($64.2 million) to manage an upsurge of migrant arrivals mostly from Morocco. With nearly 23,000 arrivals recorded so far, Spain has become this year the main entry point into Europe for migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea by boat. (AP Photo/Marcos Moreno)

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The French NGO "SOS Mediterranee" Aquarius ship leaves the Marseille harbour, southern France, Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2018. In prolonged stopping for a month, Aquarius is heading back to the Central Mediterranean in order to render assistance to people in distress at sea. (AP Photo/Claude Paris)

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A group of migrants stay inside a sport centre in Los Barrios, southern Spain, after being rescued by Spain's Maritime Rescue Service in the Strait of Gibraltar on Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2018. Spain's foreign minister says the European Union's executive branch has allocated 55 million euros ($64.2 million) to manage an upsurge of migrant arrivals mostly from Morocco. With nearly 23,000 arrivals recorded so far, Spain has become this year the main entry point into Europe for migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea by boat. (AP Photo/Marcos Moreno)

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A group of migrants stay inside a sport centre in San Roque, southern Spain, after being rescued by Spain's Maritime Rescue Service in the Strait of Gibraltar on Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2018. Spain's foreign minister says the European Union's executive branch has allocated 55 million euros ($64.2 million) to manage an upsurge of migrant arrivals mostly from Morocco. With nearly 23,000 arrivals recorded so far, Spain has become this year the main entry point into Europe for migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea by boat. (AP Photo/Marcos Moreno)

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A member of civil protection play with a young migrant child inside a sport centre in San Roque, southern Spain, after being rescued by Spain's Maritime Rescue Service in the Strait of Gibraltar on Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2018. Spain's foreign minister says the European Union's executive branch has allocated 55 million euros ($64.2 million) to manage an upsurge of migrant arrivals mostly from Morocco. With nearly 23,000 arrivals recorded so far, Spain has become this year the main entry point into Europe for migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea by boat. (AP Photo/Marcos Moreno)

Spain saves 223 migrants trying to cross the Mediterranean

By Associated Press AP

PUBLISHED 1:58 PM ET May. 09, 2019

MADRID (AP) — Spanish authorities say they have rescued 223 migrants attempting the perilous crossing of the Mediterranean Sea.

Spain's maritime rescue service says its craft intercepted three boats carrying 180 people Saturday and a Civil Guard vessel pulled 43 others from a fourth boat.

Spain is seeing an uptick in the number of migrants landing on its shores from Africa after Italy shut down its ports to aid groups who rescued migrants at sea.

Since the end of May, almost 15,000 migrants have been saved from boats in Spanish waters — more than 240 people a day as Spain surpassed Italy as the main EU destination for migrants coming by sea.

In addition, more than 1,500 migrants have died this year trying to cross the Mediterranean as smugglers turn to even more unseaworthy vessels.