Shocking moment migrants land on a holiday beach
SUNBATHERS on a Spanish beach were left stunned as a boatload of illegal African immigrants turned up on the shore.
Having landed on European soil, the group of about 30 men sprinted away and disappeared. Their whereabouts remained unclear last night.
The group are thought to be refugees from sub-Saharan Africa who fled their vessel after crossing undetected from Morocco.
The surreal scene unfolded at Germans Beach, near the popular resort of Tarifa on the Costa de la Luz, on Wednesday as scores of tourists enjoyed one of the hottest days of the summer.
Police claimed the country’s Civil Guard were powerless to stop the landing because a lack of resources meant only one officer was in the area at the time.
Some reports suggested most of the men were Moroccan, although video footage taken by tourists appeared to show the majority came from further south in Africa.
Germans Beach – Playa de los Alemanes in Spanish – is a popular spot with British holidaymakers but got its name because of the number of German expats who live in the area.
Onslaught
The unexpected arrival came as Europe faces a fresh migrant onslaught, with more than 115,000 reaching the mainland by sea this year, figures reveal.
According to the United Nations, some 95,215 made it to Italy after crossing the Mediterranean from north Africa, with the remainder pouring in through Greece, Cyprus and Spain.
The number of migrants reaching the coast of Spain’s southern Andalucia region by boat has rocketed in recent months.
African migrants are seeking a cheaper and easier path to Europe with a rising number setting sail for Spain from Morocco using dinghies and jet-skis, migration experts said yesterday.
The voyage from Libya across the Mediterranean to Italy remains the most popular route, but the numbers arriving in Spain from Morocco have more than doubled since last year.
At least 6,000 migrants have taken the latter route this year, with many looking to avoid lawless Libya and cross a shorter stretch of sea to Spain, according to the European Union’s border agency Frontex. Most of the migrants are crammed into flimsy boats, raising fears over their safety, said the agency.
Frontex spokesman Krzysztof Borowski said: “The use of these playthings is troubling – one large wave and they can flip over and leave people in danger. These toy boats are also very hard to spot at sea for rescue operations.”
The bodies of 25 migrants have been recovered along the route this year, but the total number of deaths is likely to be far higher because most corpses are never found, Mr Borowski added.
While the average price demanded by smugglers for the journey has