Six migrant boats intercepted in the Balearics in 24 hours

The rescue of this latest group, carried out at around 12.05 hours, involved an air unit of the Guardia Civil and its maritime service, as well as a Maritime Rescue vessel, the Central Government Delegation said.

Since Monday afternoon a total of six boats with 82 people on board have been intercepted by the security services.

The first group of 15 immigrants arrived at around 7.10pm on Monday at Es Caló d’Es Mort beach in Formentera.

Later there was another rescue at 10.40pm, after the SIVE (Integrated System of External Surveillance) sighted a boat at sea, south of Cabrera, with 20 more people of North African origin on board.

At around 11.15 p.m., another 12 people of North African origin were rescued on land, on the beach of Es Cupinar, Formentera.

Shortly afterwards, at 11.30pm, the Guardia Civil Maritime Service rescued another 21 people in a vessel south of Cabrera, after their boat was also spotted by the SIVE.

The fifth rescue was at 4.20 a.m., when 14 more migrants were picked up south of Cabrera.
So far this year 42 small boats have reached the Balearic coast with 726 migrants on board.