Walter Finch
TOURISTS and beach-goers had to do a double take after a pair of men arrived at a popular Mijas beach by jet ski before abandoning them fleeing on foot when challenged by lifeguards.
The incident unfolded in Mijas at 6pm on September 16, when the pair rode their jet ski into the swimming area of Playa Marina, a beach popular with the heavy British expat population.
At first it did not seem too unusual when they parked their craft on the sand before hopping off.
The lifeguards saw nothing out of the ordinary, as beachgoers commonly use jet skis to reach the shore before heading to beach bars or shops, leaving their craft temporarily on the sand.
However, alarm bells rang when lifeguard coordinator Gonzalo Botta Veccia approached the duo to remind them they couldn’t leave their vehicle on the beach.
Instead of complying, the pair immediately removed their life jackets and sprinted away without saying a word.
“It’s quite common for a bather to approach the shore and leave the jet ski while they go to eat at a chiringuito or buy something. We didn’t suspect them initially,” Botta Veccia told Malaga Hoy newspaper.
“But when our lifeguard tried to warn them they couldn’t leave the vehicle on the beach, they just ran.”
The beach rescue service immediately alerted the Guardia Civil, who dispatched a patrol to search the surrounding area.
Despite combing the vicinity, officers were unable to locate the fugitives.
Lifeguards were left to remove the abandoned jet skis and keep the swimming area remained safe for other beachgoers.
The incident highlights ongoing concerns about irregular arrivals along Spain’s southern coastline.
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If jet skis are required to be registered it shouldn’t be too difficult to discover who owns them. Presumably this was not the case on this occasion, leading to the inferrence of illegal immigrants?