The serene waters of the south bay of Ceuta have witnessed in recent days a sustained increase in the number of migrants attempting to reach land by swimming. In the last few hours, this crossing route has not stopped being traveled either during the day or at night, putting the Maritime Service of the Civil Guard.
Only yesterday morning, sources consulted by this newspaper reported the rescue of 20 people, all men who were equipped with tire tubes as floats. Despite the efforts of the patrol boats, many managed to reach the shore on their own. Others were not so lucky. At least one of them disappeared at sea, so a search effort was launched that included Maritime Rescue and ground patrols of the armed institute, which continued at the close of this edition.
Unfortunately, this week there have already been three fatalities due to drowning in attempts to cross to the autonomous city. According to knowledgeable sources, in the last two days, the Civil Guard managed to rescue at least a hundred migrants. And the number of people attempting this dangerous crossing is expected to continue to rise in the coming hours, putting security forces and rescue services under extreme pressure.
One of the most striking data is the nationality of these migrants. 90% of those who try to reach Ceuta and those who succeed are Algerians. Morocco, for its part, has shown reluctance to accept these citizens, which further complicates the management of the problem. The sources consulted suggest that the increase in crossings is not coincidental. “When there is an increase in these types of situations it is because Morocco allows it,” they point out.
Although the area of Gasoline It also suffers migratory activity, the Moroccan Navy is more active at that point. On the other hand, in the southern bay, if the migrants are not Moroccans, they generally advance without impediments.