Unprecedented Landing Of Algerian “harraga” On Coast Of Spain

“What is happening in Algeria?” With this headline, several Spanish newspapers and TV channels asked, after the arrival of 454 Algerian “harraga” or illegal migrants or aboard 31 makeshift boats in the last 24 hours at the coasts of Murcia and the city of Cartagena, specifically in the south of the country, which was described as “unprecedented landing”, forcing the city authorities to establish a camp to house them in the port of Cartagena, with 7 new cases of newly infected Coruna virus recorded among the incoming migrants.

Videos and pictures broadcast by the Spanish state-run RTVE channel showed rescue operations for the numbers of Algerian “harraga” and their arrival at the port of Cartagena, near Murcia, as the authorities there were conducting medical checks, including measuring body temperature and isolating the suspects with Corona virus.

According to the Spanish government channel, among the 454 “harraga” or illegal migrants hailing from Algeria, there are dozens of women and minor children (they did not specify their number).

7 people were infected with the Coronavirus, they were swiftly isolated from the rest of the arrivals, and the other “harraga” were isolated to prevent their contact with the outside world, fearing the presence of infected people or carriers of the virus to get out of control.

And it appears in a video published by the newspaper “La Verdad” and seen by “Echorouk”, the installation of a camp with about 20 tents in the port of Cartagena, where the “harraga” arrived, were given shelter.

Spanish media indicated that the most important influx of Algerian “harraga” was in November 2017, when 500 harraga or illegal migrants arrived over a period of three or four days.

Media outlets in the Balearic Islands also reported the arrival of about 20 “harraga” or illegal migrants at separate times on the island of Ibiza, but they were found not infected with Corona virus after the relevant diagnosis was made.

According to previous statistics of the Spanish Ministry of the Interior, the Algerian “Harraga” or illegal migrants are at the forefront of the nationalities coming to Spain illegally, since the beginning of this year, and this situation led the European Commission to express its concern, and to provide notes to the Madrid authorities about this situation, which indicates the presence of gangs specialized in organizing illegal migrants’ sea crossings.