Formentera's 150 abandoned migrant boats await removal

Around 150 abandoned migrant boats are piled up at the Es Cap waste site on Formentera, in the Balearic Islands. They are waiting to be taken to Eivissa for handling. On 6 November, Formentera Island Council president Óscar Portas invites the new Spanish government delegate for the Balearic Islands, Pere Joan Pons, to visit the island and discuss migration and security.

Arrivals put pressure on the island

More than 100 people reached Formentera in six boats on a single day in late October, Portas says. In a letter to Pons, he asks the state for reliable resources, advance information about arrivals and continued monitoring of the situation. He also wants to restart work with the government delegation to remove boats left along the coast.

Children in care and security needs

Formentera Island Council currently cares for 240 unaccompanied migrant children, with many cases still unresolved. Of 19 people who arrived in October and were declared to be minors, 11 were found to be under 18. Portas calls for better coordination between the responsible bodies and quicker age assessments, with all legal safeguards maintained.

He also wants the proposed meeting to cover staffing and equipment for the Civil Guard on Formentera, as well as the island’s year-round security needs. Portas hopes the visit will lead to concrete agreements with Pons.

Topics: Migration

Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com