Spanish authorities are searching for a sub-Saharan migrant who disappeared after landing near the Benzu viewpoint in Ceuta, close to the Moroccan border, a day after another migrant died attempting the same method of entry. The deceased migrant lost control of his paraglider and crashed into the Mediterranean Sea.
This unorthodox method of crossing the border is reportedly facilitated by people smugglers offering brief paragliding courses, sometimes lasting only minutes, a stark contrast to the 80 to 100 hours of training typically recommended. The paragliders launch from Jebel Musa, a mountain overlooking Ceuta, allowing them to bypass the approximately 20-foot border fence.
The AUGC Civil Guard union has criticized the Spanish Interior Ministry, stating that warnings about paraglider entries, which they claimed the ministry denied, were ignored. A spokesman for the union highlighted that the dismantling of a Moroccan gang that trained migrants for this purpose has not stopped the practice, suggesting that border security must now account for aerial routes in addition to land and sea.
The incidents occur amidst broader concerns about migrant crossings into Ceuta and the Spanish enclave of Melilla. Last month, a large number of migrants bypassed the border fence and swam to Ceuta. Upon arrival, some were reported to have attempted to break into homes.
Officials estimate that 2,500 irregular migrants, including approximately 1,000 children, remain in Ceuta, though local reports suggest higher numbers. Images have emerged of migrants sleeping on makeshift beds and in temporary camps near a migrant holding center. Some female migrants have reported sexual assaults after arriving and being forced to sleep in the open.
In one recent incident, a Moroccan man who broke into a woman's apartment was given an expulsion order and a five-year ban from Spain. Court sources indicated he had a prior deportation order and had been convicted of sex assaults.
Last November, five people were arrested in Morocco for allegedly aiding migrants to reach the EU via paraglider. The first documented successful paraglider border breach into Ceuta was reported at that time. Police unions have pointed to a Supreme Court ruling that prevents the summary return of migrants intercepted at sea attempting to reach Ceuta or Melilla, arguing it creates a "pull factor" and complicates deportations. The unions are calling for increased police and Civil Guard personnel at the border.
Reports suggest that organizers may be promoting another mass border breach for Saturday, with the method being heavily advertised on social media. The Civil Guard has reportedly acknowledged the risk of a further mass attempt to reach European soil.