Murcia, Spain - Spanish rescuers on Thursday rescued two would-be immigrants whose two companions had died while trying to cross from Africa to Spain, officials said.

A French oil tanker initially spotted the vessel carrying two survivors and two bodies at about 120 kilometres south-east of Cartagena on Spain's south-eastern coast.

A Spanish vessel and helicopter rescued the survivors who were hospitalized in serious condition. The survivors, who were believed to be Algerians, were between 20 and 30 years old.

Officials said the boat had lost its way on open sea, after which its passengers became so dehydrated that they drank sea water.

Around 60 Africans have drowned or died of other causes when trying to make sea crossings to Spain this year, according to official figures.

Increased frontier controls and Spain's economic crisis have reduced the number of undocumented migrants arriving from Africa, which went down by half to about 4,800 in the first six months of
2009. (dpa)