Spain's maritime rescue service says two migrants have died after their boat sank while trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea to European shores.

The service says that both were men of sub-Saharan origin and that their boat was located late Saturday about 10 miles (16 kilometers) west of the Island of Alboran.

The first man was found dead in the water by a fishing boat that had taken on 32 migrants from the sinking vessel and saved another two who were overboard.

A rescue helicopter and ship arrived in time to pull two more men from the water. The rescue service said one of the men could not be saved.

The service says that it also saved another 51 migrants from two other boats between late Saturday and Sunday morning.