The Maritime Rescue Service has intercepted a total of 18 sub-Saharan migrants, 17 men and a woman, heading for mainland Spain in two toy dinghies.
The first boat was located about 17 miles off Tarifa after one of the passengers phoned to say they were on their way in a small dinghy.
The Maritime Rescue Service were escorting the passengers to port when they got a call from a merchant ship saying they had spotted a small boat, so they intercepted the second boat also.
All passengers were taken to Tarifa port where the Red Cross were on hand to offer assistance.