RABAT — A Moroccan coastguard vessel on Monday retrieved seven bodies and rescued 70 migrants whose boat got into difficulty in the Mediterranean, a military source said.

The survivors, including 10 women and a baby, were found in a "very poor state" and were transferred to Nador in northern Morocco, where they would receive medical care, the Moroccan military source added.

The bodies of three women were among the seven bodies retrieved, this source said.

The boat capsized overnight carrying around 100 migrants headed towards Spain, according to Spanish NGO Caminando Fronteras, which added that 24 were missing. 

Nearly 25,000 people have died trying to reach Europe for political and economic reasons since the start of 2014, including over 19,000 who drowned in the Mediterranean, according to the International Organisation for Migration. 

Spain is a key entry point for migrants seeking a better life in Europe. — AFP