ARCHIVED - A further 170 irregular Algerian immigrants in 13 boats reach the Murcian coastline

The vessels started to arrive mid-afternoon and continued throughout the evening

Image; Archive

The seemingly endless stream of Algerian irregular migrants trying to reach Europe via the Spanish coastline continues and on Monday 21st September a further 170 Algerians in 13 boats entered Spain through the coastline of the Region of Murcia.

The first of the vessels was sighted 4 nautical miles out at sea from Cabo de Palos mid-afternoon and the Río Guadalentín patrol vessel was dispatched to pick up the migrants out at sea.

A short while later a second boat containing 6 males was sighted and picked up by the same vessel.

By this point the Guardamar Calíope had been called into action and had picked up two more boatloads containing 16 and 17 Algerians.

And on it went, the perfect calm seas yielding boatload after boatload until 170 irregular migrants had been brought ashore.

All were of Algerian nationality and all were apparently healthy, having made the crossing quickly and without and difficulty.

All were taken to the Escombreras dock where resources are already being overwhelmed by the scale of the new arrivals; last Wednesday and Thursday 272 migrants in 19 boats made the same crossing.

The calm seas yesterday were also used by a second group of irregular migrants who chose the route across to the Balearic Islands.The vessels also left late in the afternoon, arriving overnight. In total, 164 immigrants in 11 boats were detected, according to the Government Delegate to the Balearic Islands.

The nationality of most of the migrants is not clear, although some of the vessels were certainly of Algerian origin.

Cádiz also reported the arrival of 16 migrants in four pateras, near to Gibraltar and Bolonía, in Cádiz, Andalucía. In this case, the migrants were of Magrebi origin.

Vessel No. 1, Intercepted 4 nautical miles southeast of Cabo Palos 10 male immigrants on board.Vessel

No. 2, Intercepted 8.5 nautical miles southeast of Cabo Palos with 6 male immigrants on board

Vessel No. 3, Intercepted 8 miles South Cabo de Palos with 17 immigrants, all males

Vessel No. 4, Intercepted 8 miles South of Cabo de Palos with 16 male immigrants

Boat No. 5. Intercepted 13 miles southeast of Monte Cenizas (with 11 immigrants (9 men, 1 woman and 1 minor)

Boat No. 6. Intercepted 15 miles southeast of Monte Cenizas with 15 immigrants (14 men and 1 woman).

Vessel No. 7. Intercepted 6 miles southeast of Cabo Tiñoso with 16 immigrants (13 males and supposedly 3 minors)

Vessel No. 8. Intercepts 7.5 miles to the Southeast Monte Cenizas with 7 immigrants (6 males and 1 minor).

Vessel No. 9. Intercepted 16 miles southeast of Monte Cenizas with 19 male immigrants.

Vessel No. 10. Intercepted 9.5 miles south of Monte Cenizas with 10 male immigrants.

Boat No. 11.- Intercepted 15 miles to the South of Monte Cenizas with 9 male imigrants.

Vessel No. 12. Intercepted 14.2 miles southeast of Monte Cenizas with 18 male immigrants

Vessel nº 13. Intercepted 14 miles southeast of Monte Cenizas with 16 male immigrants.
Total on September 21, 13 boats, 170 immigrants
 

Yet again, the Cruz Roja facilities in the Escombreras port area, temporarily ceded by the Cartagena Port Authority are overwhelmed by the number of new arrivals, and the police presence in the area has been increased to prevent any of the escape incidents which have made these arrivals such a politicial hot potato in the last few months.

The major problem continues to be the lack of proper accommodation, as the network of migrant transit centres remain closed, due to the closure of Moroccan and Algerian borders because of the covid crisis and the inability of the Spanish government to repatriate those who do reach Spain. This, in turn, is fuelling the numbers arriving, as it’s virtually “open doors” at the moment for anyone willing to make the crossing by sea and pay the criminal gangs up to 2,500 euros a head for their passage.

Diplomatic overtures have been made to the Algerian authorities, but as the political situation in Algeria is fragile to say the least, it’s a path that requires considerable caution.

In the meantime, the boats keep on arriving, and there’s nowhere to house the migrants that gives the level of security desired by the regional police or politicians.
 

Background info:

During the last few weeks the Region of Murcia has received multiple boatloads of irregular migrants from Algeria.

This year the number of migrations to Spain has been lower than normal, due prinicipally to the restrictions caused by Covid-19, but in recent weeks there has been an upsurge in activity as organised crime gangs take advantage of the opportunity to bring increased numbers of economic migrants into Spain.

The desire to seek a better life and try to find employment is understandable, as unemployment is high in Algeria, the country is suffering from severe economic problems, and opportunities, particularly for young people, are extremely limited. Political opposition against the current régime has lead to public protests and an increased level of dissatisfaction within the country, leading many particularly young people to look at Europe as potentially offering better opportunities.

A migrant we spoke to a short time ago stated that Spain was not the ultimate destination for the migrants and that many would continue their journeys to France and Belgium, although some would continue on to try and reach the UK.

Although the number of migrants targeting the Murcia region as an entry point has been more noticeable in the last 3 months, the overall totals of migrants entering Spain via the Western Mediterranean route has fallen considerably, mainly due to the almost complete absence of Moroccans making the journey to enter Europe via the Spanish coastline.

Frontex, the EU border force, reports that there were nearly 1 600 detections of illegal border crossings on the Western Mediterranean migratory route in August 2020, 7% less than in the previous month.

The total for the first eight months of 2020, was nearly half the figure from the same period in the previous year at 8,200, down 46%.

However, Algerians have accounted for nearly two-thirds of all detections on the route this year, and the August figure was six times the figure from a year ago, which ties in with the deteriorating economic and political situation in Algeria, and the border closure in Morocco, which is preventing many of the sub-Saharan migrants getting into Morocco in the first place.

The distance for Algerians to the Spanish coastline favours the Murcia Region and Alicante as chosen destinations, the increase in Algerians logically leading to an increased level of traffic to Murcia.

NB: The migrants are referred to as “irregular immigrants” by the EU; the Spanish media tend to call them “sin papeles” meaning those with no paperwork entering the country illegally, others refer to them as illegal migrants. The phrase irregular migrants is used on MT in an attempt to convey that these are not refugees, but economic migrants, in this case from Algeria, entering Spain and the EU in an illegal fashion, without passports or documentation and without any legal right to enter the EU as Algeria is not an EU member and there is no migration agreement between the two countries.

Donate to Cruz Roja; Humanitarian work to ensure those arriving in Spain are treated with dignity is undertaken by the humanitarian organisation Cruz Roja. If you would like to donate, here is the link: Cruz Roja Española

Further reading

EU Action plan against Migrant Smuggling 2015/2020 Click to read

EU Directive f2008/115/EC Common standards and procedures in EU Member States for returning illegally staying third country nationals. Click to read

FRONTEX European coast guard and border control agency. This explains more about the migration issue and shows the different routes taken. Our routes here are the "Western Mediterranean" routes used principally by Moroccans And Algerians.Click Frontex