Royal Gendarmerie forces succeeded on Monday in rescuing a group of irregular migrants of North African origin who were trying to cross towards the Persil islet (Leila island) located off the Moroccan coast. This came after authorities received a distress call, following which a Royal Maritime Gendarmerie patrol boat was sent to save them from the danger of drowning.
According to information collected by the Spanish daily The Worldthe commandery of the civil guard in Sept received an alert at 9:52 a.m., indicating the presence of irregular migrants on the rocks near the island of Leila. However, sources confirmed that they “had failed to reach the island itself, which is subject to a legal situation which prohibits any presence or passage, both by the Moroccan and Spanish authorities, due to the delicate diplomatic situation governing this small enclave”.
The sea around the island of Leila is under Moroccan control, which obliges the Royal Gendarmerie to obtain authorization from Spain before intervening in this area. This is part of the bilateral cooperation agreements between the two countries to combat irregular immigration, allowing the Royal Moroccan Navy and the Spanish Civil Guard to work in the territorial waters of the two countries to prevent illegal passage attempts and protect human lives.
The island, which has been the scene of historic tensions between Morocco and Spain, experienced a major diplomatic crisis in 2002, during the time of the former president of the government, José María Aznar, an event which could have degenerated into a crisis beyond the diplomatic framework. Since then, the area has been managed by an informal emergency cooperation and coordination agreement.
In accordance with the agreement signed after the 2002 crisis, Morocco and Spain share responsibility for intervening to rescue migrants trying to reach the island, while inviting them to leave the area if they ever succeed. , in order to guarantee their security and to respect the special legal status of the island, which prohibits any domination by either of the two nations.
Attempts to reach the island of Leila are not new. The region has been the scene of similar incidents, the most notable being in June 2014, when Moroccan forces arrested 13 migrants who had managed to reach the island. In Monday’s incident, eight migrants were rescued after trying to reach what they considered a safe area. They were transferred to the Moroccan coast after being recovered at sea near the area of Punta Leona.
Attempts to swim to the Spanish coast continue, in a context of increased pressure on the supposed borders of Sept et Melillawhere, in recent days, two bodies of young North African migrants were found on the beaches of Septconfirming the serious risks that migrants face during their attempts to reach the European El Dorado.
