Spanish island becomes new target of people smugglers
23 July 2024
The very small Spanish island of Alborán, located just 55 km north of Morocco and 85 km from Spain's Almería southern province, has become a hotspot for smugglers sneaking undocumented migrants into Spanish territory.
With only 11 soldiers stationed there, the island has had a staggering influx of migrants this year – 518 so far, including 31 children and 23 women. The Spanish soldiers, who are already stretched thin, simply lack the resources to care for so many people.
The situation has gotten so dire that Spain's Maritime Rescue service has stopped transferring migrants to the mainland, leaving them stranded on this rocky islet for weeks.
In a bid to improve conditions, the Spanish ministry of defence is hastily putting up a temporary building to host people A group of concerned Spanish politicians from various centre-left parties recently visited the island to show their support and see the situation firsthand.
Smugglers prefer the Alborán route because it is shorter, cheaper and less dangerous than other routes from Morocco to Spain. The soldiers have even been advised to stay out of sight to avoid provoking the traffickers, who might otherwise force the migrants into the open sea.
The very small Spanish island of Alborán, located just 55 km north of Morocco and 85 km from Spain's Almería province, has become a hotspot for smugglers sneaking undocumented migrants into Spanish territory. With only 11 soldiers stationed there, the island has a staggering influx of migrants this year—518 so far, including 31 children and 23 women. The Spanish soldiers, who are already stretched thin, simply don't have the resources to care for so many people.
The situation has gotten so dire that Spain's Maritime Rescue service has stopped transferring migrants to the mainland, leaving them stranded on this rocky islet for weeks. In a bid to improve conditions, the Ministry of Defense is hastily putting up a temporary building. A group of concerned Spanish politicians recently visited the island to show their support and see the situation firsthand.
Smugglers prefer the Alborán route because it's shorter, cheaper, and less dangerous than other routes from Morocco to Spain. The soldiers have even been advised to stay out of sight to avoid provoking the traffickers, who might otherwise force the migrants into the open sea.
 | Klara Vlahčević Lisinski The dire situation in Alborán is a stark reminder of the broader migrant crisis gripping Europe, which many, from politicians to citizens, seem to ignore. This nearly deserted place has become a desperate last stop for migrants seeking a better life, highlighting the dangerous lengths they go to reach European shores. The soldiers on Alborán, who signed up to protect Spanish territory, now find themselves on the frontlines of a humanitarian crisis, revealing the urgent need for a more comprehensive European approach to this issue. It's truly hard to think of these migrants, including young children, stranded for weeks on a barren island with little to no resources. This crisis calls for a stronger, more coordinated response from the EU to ensure these migrants are treated humanely and to address the root causes pushing them to undertake such perilous journeys - even if they are then deported back to their countries, Europe has to act more fast and decisive, because being stuck in limbo is the worst. |
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