Seven bodies have been found near popular Mediterranean beaches in southern Spain, police said on Monday.

Police are investigating whether they were migrants whose raft sunk in the Mediterranean during their journey from Algeria.

The Spanish coast guard rescued a sole migrant some 30 nautical miles off the Alicante coast on Saturday.

The 21-year-old said he was traveling with a group of around 15 people when their motorless raft flipped over and the other migrants disappeared.

Investigations were launched after his statement, and police discovered three bodies – a man, woman and child – on Sunday near the beaches of Pilar de Horadada in Alicante.

The same day, people alerted police to two bodies floating in waters off San Javier in Murcia, while two more bodies were discovered off the coasts of Alicante and Murcia on Monday.

Autopsies are being conducted to determine the cause of death and other details, according to the police.

Officials are not ruling out finding more bodies in the coming hours and days.

AA