WOULD-BE migrants trying to reach Spanish soil from North Africa will go to desperate measures to get across the borders at the exclave cities of Ceuta and Melilla. This was clear to see once again in June, when a mass storming of the fence at Melilla left more than 20 dead and dozens missing.
But this week a new method was used to get past the six-metre border fence that separates Melilla from Moroccan territory: a paraglider.
Sources from the central government delegation in the Spanish city told news agency EFE that the unusual crossing took place on Thursday evening at around 6.15pm. Locals who were driving along a nearby road witnessed the arrival of the migrant using the fabric wing.
The migrant landed near the Nano river, and after the alarm was raised Civil Guard officers rushed to the scene to intercept him. They came up short, however, and were unable to locate him.
The nationality of the migrant is currently unknown, according to EFE.
Read more:
- Opposition party calls on Spain’s interior minister to quit over Melilla migrant tragedy that killed 23
- BBC documentary about Spanish border tragedy prompts fresh calls from political parties for explanations
