SPAIN: An old and rusting cargo boat was intercepted this week off the coast of Sierra Leone as it embarked on a voyage to smuggle some 500 illegal immigrants into Spain via the Canary Islands. Jane Walker reports from Madrid.
The seizure of the 38 year old Holligan Star was the result of co-operation between the Spanish police and the coastguards of Sierra Leone and Guinea Connakry. According to a Spanish police source the unfortunate human cargo from various sub-saharan countries had paid between €1,500 and 2,000 - the life savings for many of them - for the perilous voyage.
It is believed the crew planned to abandon their passengers soon after entering Spanish territorial waters and Spain would be forced, under international maritime law, to rescue them and take them to the nearest port, in this case the Canary Islands.
For many years the most popular route into Spain was the short journey across the straits of Gibraltar from Morocco to the rocky beaches near Algeciras and Tarifa. Most of them came in flimsy craft known as pateras and hundreds perished in the attempt. The smugglers have now widened their scope, and small pateras have been detected all along the south coast of Spain.
Under increased pressure from Spanish and other European governments, Morocco is now co-operating to clamp down on the trade.
Sophisticated radar, heat-seeking devices and night vision cameras have been installed along the coast to intercept and detain would-be immigrants before they land. The North African immigrants are put on ferries and returned home, only for many of them to attempt the journey at a later date, and those from other African countries are held in detention camps until their own government takes charge of them.
During the first seven months of this year 3,111 African immigrants were intercepted and detained on the southern coastline of Almeria, Cadiz, Granada and Malaga, a further 4,142 were held in the Canary Islands, the majority on the small island of Fuerteventura.