Adam Husicka
FORMENTERA’S local government is currently responsible for 136 migrant children, who arrived on the island in small boats from Algeria without their families.
Only about twenty of these children remain on the island, housed in local facilities.
Most have been sent over to Mallorca, where they are cared for in dedicated centers run by organizations like the Samu Foundation.
READ MORE: Spain hits record population of almost 50 million, mainly driven by immigration
The arrival of children has intensified in recent weeks. In just one week, 20 unaccompanied minors landed in Formentera, part of over 300 migrants that pushed the island’s capacity to the limit.
Most of the children are teenagers between 14 and 17 years old, but the average age is falling. Just last week, a ten-year-old child made the journey, spending at least 15 hours at sea on a small boat with strangers.
Between January and June, social services on the island registered 65 unaccompanied minors. In total, up to August 18, Formentera has received 1,400 migrants on 81 boats.
READ MORE: Guardia Civil rescues 18 migrants from illegal tobacco factory
The local government has repeatedly warned that the economic cost of caring for these minors is unsustainable.
In just January and February this year, expenses already reached more than €1.5 million. The regional government has since approved an extraordinary subsidy of €4.1 million to help cover the costs, though local officials continue to call on Spain’s central government to take more responsibility.
In addition to unaccompanied children, Formentera has also received families travelling together. So far this year, 16 family groups, including 24 children, have arrived on the island.
During last week’s arrivals, three families with seven children were among those rescued.
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