Spain’s Defense Ministry has opened an investigation after a Moroccan YouTuber swam undetected to the Chafarinas Islands, a small Spanish-held archipelago off North Africa that is also claimed by Morocco.
The influencer, known online as Bnnsns, posted a video showing himself arriving on Isabel II Island, one of the three islets, after swimming from Cabo del Agua in Morocco. In the footage, he makes lighthearted remarks while filming on the restricted military outpost, raising questions over surveillance gaps in a sensitive area.
The ministry said it will examine whether the breach stemmed from a temporary failure of monitoring systems or flaws in operational protocols. The incident has sparked concern in Madrid over the vulnerability of Spain’s North African enclaves and outposts.
Spain’s far-right Vox party seized on the episode, urging the government to demand Morocco “explicitly and unreservedly” recognize Spanish sovereignty over Ceuta, Melilla, the Chafarinas, and other small Mediterranean possessions, including Al Hoceima Rock, Vélez de la Gomera, and Perejil Islet.
Vox also called for recalling the Spanish ambassador to Rabat for consultations and for closer administrative alignment of the territories with Melilla.
“The seriousness of this event cannot be understated,” Vox official Javier Diego said. “It is not just a prank; it is a provocation and a violation of Spanish sovereignty.”
The sovereignty of Spain’s territories in North Africa remains one of the most sensitive points in Madrid-Rabat relations. While Spain cites its 1860 Treaty of Peace and Friendship with Morocco as a legal basis for its control, Morocco continues to assert claims, fueling periodic diplomatic tensions.
The Defense Ministry’s inquiry now highlights Spain’s broader challenge of safeguarding remote outposts at the center of a long-running territorial dispute.
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