Madrid - Two would-be immigrants coming from Africa died while attempting to reach Spain's Canary Islands, while nine were in serious condition, local officials said Monday.

The victims were among a total of 123 migrants on board a boat which landed on El Hierro island on Monday.

One of them was dead on arrival, while the other passed away after landing. One of the victims was believed to be a minor. Others among the immigrants were treated for symptoms including dehydration and hypothermia.

The same morning, about 200 Africans tried to storm the frontier of the Spanish enclave of Melilla on the Moroccan coast, local officials said.

Police prevented the assault by closing the Beni Enzar frontier post, and Moroccan police helped to dispel the migrants.

About 90 of them, however, made a new attempt, armed with stones and sticks. Spanish riot police used tear gas to push them back.

Eight Spanish and seven Moroccan police officers sustained slight injuries.

Moroccan police arrested 84 migrants, 14 of whom were lightly injured, according to Moroccan officials.

The attempt was the fifth and biggest by would-be immigrants to enter Melilla since rains caused part of the border fence to collapse on October 26.

In the autumn of 2005, 14 migrants were killed during repeated attempts by thousands of people to storm Spain's North African enclaves of Melilla and Ceuta.

Spain receives thousands of African undocumented immigrants annually. Most of them use routes leading from the West African coast to the Canary Islands. Thousands of Africans are believed to have drowned or died of exposure during attempts to reach Spain. (dpa)