Tourists fled a beach in southern Spain after a high-powered speedboat carrying 62 migrants approached the shore and dozens of people jumped into the sea before running onto land. The Spain migrant beach landing happened at Cala del Barco, near the La Manga Club resort in Cartagena, Murcia, on Wednesday, 19 August, prompting calls to emergency services and a police operation.
Spanish authorities later said all 62 people had been located. Holidaymakers visiting the area should follow instructions from police, lifeguards or local authorities if another emergency or unauthorised landing is reported.
Video of the incident showed the vessel approaching the beach while people enjoying the coastline began gathering their belongings and moving away. Those on board started jumping into the water before the boat had fully reached the shore and then made their way inland.
The boat then headed back out to sea, according to reports.
Guardia Civil locates 62 migrants after Cala del Barco landing
Spain’s Guardia Civil said the group consisted of 45 adult men, two adult women and 15 boys, according to Cadena SER. They were attended to by the Red Cross and were reported to be in good health before being handed over to the National Police.
Emergency services were alerted at about 1pm after receiving several calls about the arrival.
The incident attracted attention because Cala del Barco is close to La Manga Club, a well-known holiday and golf resort on Spain’s Costa Cálida.
The Telegraph reported that more than 60 migrants were seen leaving the high-speed vessel as tourists moved away from the beach.
Local political leaders have since questioned how such a large vessel was able to approach the coastline without being intercepted.
Murcia regional president Fernando López Miras criticised the level of maritime surveillance and said the size and power of the boat raised questions about how it reached the beach undetected. His comments were political criticism of the central government’s response and should not be treated as evidence that security systems failed in a particular way until authorities complete their inquiries.
Cartagena Mayor Noelia Arroyo has also called for more personnel and technology to monitor the coastline and tackle organised people-smuggling operations.
Removal from Spain is not automatic
Reports from Spain say authorities are processing immigration procedures following the landing. However, this does not mean all 62 people will automatically be deported.
Individual circumstances have to be considered under Spanish and European law. People who request international protection can have their claims examined, while children are subject to additional legal safeguards.
This distinction is particularly important because 15 of those located after Wednesday’s landing were reported to be minors.
Spain has recently faced difficult questions over how to deal with unaccompanied migrant children. The government announced this week that around 500 children in Ceuta would be transferred to mainland Spain, with Spanish law requiring authorities to provide protection for unaccompanied minors.
The issue reflects a wider European debate over irregular migration, asylum claims, border controls and people-smuggling networks.
New Daily Prime has previously reported on efforts to tackle dangerous small-boat migrant crossings under the UK’s one-in, one-out scheme, under which some people arriving irregularly across the English Channel can be returned to France subject to the agreed process.
It has also examined proposals affecting migrants seeking asylum after crossing the Channel.
Spain faces wider migration pressure
Wednesday’s beach landing is separate from the recent crisis in Ceuta, Spain’s territory on the North African coast, but it comes at a time of intense debate over migration and border security.
More than 70,000 people crossed into Ceuta from Morocco during a major surge at the end of July, according to figures reported by international news organisations. Many later returned to Morocco, while thousands remained as Spanish authorities dealt with asylum, accommodation and repatriation cases.
Moroccan authorities have since stepped up enforcement around the border. Nearly 300 migrants were detained this month while allegedly attempting to reach Ceuta, according to Associated Press.
The Cala del Barco incident will therefore add to pressure on Spanish authorities to explain how coastal surveillance is working and what more can be done against organised networks transporting people across the Mediterranean.
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