The fourth boat of illegal immigrants to have been caught in Balearic waters in the past five days was intercepted in the early hours of yesterday morning off Cabrera. The boat was detected at 5.15am by one of the special Integrated Control System radar stationed at various strategic points around the south of the Balearics to detect unidentified vessels.
The vessel, on board which were a total of 14 illegal immigrants, was towed by a search and rescue vessel to Colonia Sant Jordi and from there they were taken to the National Police headquarters in Palma. They were all processed and identified. They were from Algeria, like the previous immigrants to have been caught trying to slip in to the Balearics over the past week, and will be transferred to a holding centre in Barcelona where they will wait to be deported.
So far this year, a total of eleven boats carrying illegal immigrants have been intercepted in Balearic waters. The first was in January, the second in March, two during Easter, three in May, one in June, two last Friday, one on Monday and the twelfth yesterday. In total, 115 illegal immigrants have been arrested in Balearic waters.
The boat located on Monday was also spotted off Cabrera and was carrying 13 immigrants. The increase in immigrants trying to make it ashore in the Balearics mirrors what is happening across the country as a whole. This year, a marked increase in the number of illegal immigrants trying to get into Europe through Spain has been noted.