“Don't leave us alone.” 54 children swam from Morocco to the Spanish Enclava Ceuta, on a hectic sea and fog
At least 54 children and about 30 adults swam from Morocco to the Spanish Elclava Ceuta in North Africa, under conditions of great agitated and fog, reported Spanish television on Saturday.
The video images on the Spanish television channel Rtve showed the civil guard, making repeated rescue attempts to take some of the safe swimmers, while others swam to the enclave.
The children, who were largely Moroccans, were taken to temporary centers in Ceuta, where the authorities asked for help from the central government to cope with the new arrivals.
“Don't leave us alone. This is a state problem. It has to be solved”said Juan Rivas, from the Ceuta Regional Government, reporters last Saturday.
The enclaves of Spain, Ceuta and Melilla, often face migrant crossings. The detainees are returned to Morocco, unless they are minors or ask asylum.
On August 26, last year, hundreds of migrants took advantage of a thick fog to swim at Ceuta from the neighboring brown, the local police said.
In 2021, a boy was seen floating on empty plastic bottles in his attempt to reach Ceuta. The two enclaves of Spain on the Mediterranean coast of Morocco, Ceuta and Melilla share the only land borders of the European Union with Africa.
The enclaves sporadically experience waves of crossing attempts by migrants trying to reach Europe.
Moroccan citizens arrested during crossings are immediately sent back to Morocco, unless they are minors or seek asylum.
People from other nationalities are taken to special centers where they receive shelter and are released after a few days.
Three years ago, at least 23 people died from a busculade when about 2,000 migrants tried to enter Melilla, demolishing the border fence.
