Suspected Asian migrants land in Canary Islands

MADRID, Sep 15 (Reuters) A boat arrived in Tenerife today carrying 200 Asians who Spanish authorities suspect were following in the trail of thousands of Africans who have landed in the Canary Islands this year in a bid to get to Europe.

The passengers, who include Pakistanis and Sri Lankans, were due to be sent to a military base used as a detention centre, which is overcrowded due to a surge of illegal immigration from West Africa, Spanish newspapers and television reported.

The government has already made contact with Pakistan and Sri Lanka to prepare for repatriation, government representative in the Canaries Jose Segura said.

Spain yesterday began flying would-be migrants back to Senegal after negotiations with the African country which had complained its citizens had been mistreated during flights out of Spain earlier this year.

About 24,000 Africans have sailed into the Canaries this year on open wooden boats called cayucos hoping to find jobs in Europe.

Hundreds or thousands of them drown or die of thirst during the journey which can last two weeks, authorities say.

Due to problems identifying their nationality and reluctance by African countries to accept them back, most of them have so far been flown to the mainland and let go.

News of their success in reaching Europe apparently attracted the Asian would-be migrants to travel to West Africa and board the Senegalese boat for the Canaries.

The fishing boat, which escorted into the port of Santa Cruz by the Spanish Coast Guard, was far better equipped than the cayucos.

But 18 of the passengers were in poor shape and had to be taken to a Tenerife hospital.

Illegal immigration has become one of Spain's biggest political issues and Madrid has asked for European Union as well as threatened West African countries with suspension of aid if they do not cooperate.

REUTERS AB VV1745