Europe Or Death: More Risking Lives By Paragliding Moroccan/spanish Border

Spain’s Guardia Civil has warned of a superior deficiency of resources to antagonistic a reckless caller activity of irregular introduction into nan Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla: presence by paraglider.

Seemingly inspired by nan October 7 Hamas attacks connected Israel, nan arena of utilizing paragliding arsenic a intends of crossing nan highly guarded fences dividing Morocco and Spain is connected nan rise.

In caller weeks, videos person dispersed crossed societal media – particularly TikTok – showing individuals piloting paragliders and making unsmooth landings successful distant areas of Ceuta and Melilla. Immediately aft rubbing down, nan occupants flee, making it clear they are not recreational flyers. What mightiness person seemed an isolated stunt is now being treated by authorities arsenic an emerging and alarming inclination successful forbidden immigration.

Guardia Civil: method could lead to deaths

Sources wrong nan Guardia Civil person confirmed that nan unit is already viewing nan arena arsenic a increasing problem that could go unmanageable if ignored. “We don’t person nan intends to decently show nan sky. The mafia networks already cognize wherever our patrols are deployed, and paragliding is simply a measurement to bypass them completely. Operating a paraglider besides requires a definite level of skill, truthful we whitethorn soon commencement uncovering dormant bodies,” officers revealed to Spanish press.

Just days ago, Moroccan authorities announced they had dismantled nan first known criminal organisation dedicated to this type of forbidden crossing. Moroccan constabulary arrested 5 group who were operating from precocious crushed successful nan Beliones area, only astir 7 kilometres from Ceuta. There, successful conditions pinch virtually nary information measures, migrants who had paid ample sums to nan smugglers were launched into nan aerial pinch nan instrumentality supplied by nan gang.

“The paraglider is simply a accelerated measurement to participate Spanish territory. Of course, for america it’s a immense problem because they onshore successful places that are highly difficult to detect,” nan sources added, sharing images of abandoned paragliding cogwheel recovered successful rugged, hard-to-reach terrain.

Irregular migration from Morocco connected nan up

According to Spain’s Interior Ministry, betwixt January 1 and October 31, a full of 3,380 group entered Ceuta and Melilla irregularly – a 42.8 per cent summation compared pinch nan aforesaid play successful 2024. Ceuta recorded nan bulk of arrivals (3,101, up 35.9 per cent), while Melilla saw an explosive comparative surge: from 86 irregular entries successful nan first 10 months of 2024 to 279 successful 2025 – a 224 per cent rise.

Because paragliding is specified a caller tactic, nary charismatic figures yet beryllium for nan number of arrivals by this method. However, officers stationed successful Ceuta opportunity that, to their knowledge, astatine slightest 4 specified landings person occurred successful caller weeks. “One migrant managed to participate and has not been located; nan different effort was thwarted,” they said.