Spanish civil guard, Moroccan authorities thwart migrant boat entry near Melilla

Spanish Civil Guard agents successfully intercepted a group of migrants attempting to enter Melilla via a boat on Thursday afternoon. 

The incident occurred around 5:25 PM local time in the southern area of the border perimeter between Spain and Morocco. 

According to the government delegation in Melilla, the Civil Guard’s anti-intrusion device was activated, and in cooperation with Moroccan forces, the entry was prevented. 

The migrants were seen sitting on the Spanish side of the border near the Southern Dike, which borders the port of Nador. 

Around 6:00 PM, under the guidance of Civil Guard officers, the migrants were led to one of the gates in the fence that provides access to the Moroccan side, where they exited one by one.

To maintain security and order, approximately ten patrols of the Civil Guard and the National Police were deployed to the area. 

Traffic on the South Dock was cut off, and a wide security perimeter was established on the Paseo Marítimo to prevent unauthorized access.

While the government delegation did not disclose the exact number of migrants on board the boat, eyewitnesses estimated the count to be around twenty. 

Several videos circulating on social media captured the Civil Guard’s pursuit of the boat at sea as it approached Melilla and the moment when the migrants jumped into the water near the Southern Dike.

This attempted entry comes just hours after the government delegate in Melilla, Sabrina Moh, said that the state security forces and bodies are “on continuous alert” and in coordination with Moroccan authorities to respond promptly to any migrant movements. 

Moh referred to calls made from areas near Ceuta for a potential entry attempt on the 30th, similar to one that occurred on the 15th, and expressed concern that such attempts might spread to the vicinity of Melilla.