During a tense maritime confrontation near Horcas Coloradas Beach in Melilla, a Spanish police speedboat collided with a small inflatable boat carrying four migrants off the coast of Morocco in northern Africa.
The event took place on Sunday and has ignited strong anger among local activists and politicians.
A widely circulated video captured the series of events, showing the Guardia Civil speedboat intercepting and then running over an inflatable dinghy that was reportedly trying to reach the shoreline.
According to reports from The Telegraph, all four migrants were thrown into the water by the force of the collision.
Swift rescue operations were swiftly initiated, and though the migrants were successfully extracted from the water, one of them needed to be briefly hospitalized in the nearby city of Nador.
The migrants, who were reportedly attempting to enter Spain through unauthorized means, were subsequently apprehended by Spanish authorities, according to The Guardian.
Aina Vidal, a parliamentary spokesperson for Spain’s Sumar coalition on the left, referred to the event as an “unacceptable humanitarian catastrophe.”
Jon Iñarritu, a representative from the leftwing EH Bildu political group, characterized the police action as a “brutal act.”
Melilla and Ceuta are two Spanish enclaves situated on the Mediterranean coast of Morocco. These territories serve as the only land borders between the European Union and Africa, making them significant points for migrant crossings.
El momento en el que la Guardia Civil pasa por encima de la lancha en la que hay 4 personas. pic.twitter.com/0zpobU0EAk
— Youssef M. Ouled (@ymouled) August 26, 2024
In recent years, both enclaves have seen a substantial increase in migration attempts, leading to tense standoffs and controversial incidents involving border security forces.
The recent incident has raised serious concerns about the tactics used by the Guardia Civil in handling these migration attempts, as well as their broader implications for human rights and international maritime law.
The video of the speedboat collision not only emphasizes the dangerous nature of the migrant journey but also sheds light on the aggressive enforcement measures that can escalate into perilous confrontations.
As attention and criticism continue to surround the video, both national and international observers will closely monitor the response from Spanish authorities and potential policy revisions.
This incident highlights the ongoing challenges and complexities of border control operations in Europe’s southern frontiers, particularly in areas where geopolitical and humanitarian concerns are especially high.