On Thursday afternoon, September 19, 2024, the peaceful shores of Nerja were abruptly disturbed when a speedboat carrying some 30 Maghrebian migrants arrived, catching beachgoers off guard. The boat, equipped with three outboard motors, sped toward the coastline before its passengers, mostly Moroccan men including six minors, leaped into the shallow waters just a few meters from the beach.
The scene was chaotic as the migrants, dressed in casual clothing, quickly dispersed, fleeing toward the eastern coastal regions of the province. Spanish authorities, including the Guardia Civil and local police, were immediately dispatched to the area in a bid to locate and intercept the fleeing individuals.
Intercepted and in Custody
According to Spanish media, 33 Moroccan men [soldiers] were intercepted, six of whom were minors. While authorities are still conducting tests to confirm their ages, the men were found to be in good health. After being apprehended near Calaceite Beach in Torrox, some of the migrants had already managed to run more than three kilometers inland.
At the heart of the town, on Calle Chaparil, one of the intercepted migrants spoke briefly to a local reporter. The man, who could communicate in broken Spanish, revealed that they had embarked early that morning from the Moroccan coastal region of Rif. “We are all in good health and happy to be here,” he said, referring to the other young men aboard.
Repatriation Efforts Underway
The intercepted migrants were promptly taken to the Guardia Civil post in Nerja, where repatriation procedures to Morocco, the Alawi kingdom, were initiated. As confirmed by authorities, they were transferred to the Temporary Care Center for Foreigners (CATE) located at the Port of Malaga.
A Second Migrant Boat in 20 Days
This latest arrival marks the second speedboat of Maghrebian migrants to land in Nerja within a 20-day span. On August 29, a similar incident occurred when a boat carrying around 20 migrants arrived at El Playazo Beach during the early morning hours.
The Guardia Civil’s Integrated System of Exterior Surveillance (SIVE) detected the vessel, and officers were dispatched to the area. Despite the swift response, many of the migrants managed to scatter upon arrival, though 20 were eventually located and arrested. As in the most recent case, one intercepted illegal was identified as a minor, although age verification is ongoing.
These continued disembarkations along Spain’s southern coast show no signs of slowing.
Source: Diariosur
News Link: https://rairfoundation.com/boat-load-africans-shock-spanish-beachgoers-as-invasion/
