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Warm December weather triggers more migrant boats arriving in Murcia
Unseasonably calm seas are extending the crossing season as more boats reach Cartagena
For the second week in a row, unusually warm weather along Spain’s south-eastern coastline is driving a fresh spike in small boats attempting the journey from North Africa to the Region of Murcia. Police sources confirmed that at least half a dozen vessels arrived at Cartagena’s Santa Lucía dock between the afternoon of Tuesday December 9 and the morning of Wednesday December 10, carrying a total of 52 people.The Government Delegation in Murcia later clarified that 41 of those arrivals took place throughout Tuesday December 9. Officers on the ground say this sudden uptick has a clear explanation. “The weather is like spring,” one agent said, adding that calm seas are creating conditions that smugglers are quick to exploit.
Organised networks are once again taking advantage of the milder December weather to send more boats towards Europe, particularly along the Levante coast. And according to police, more days like this are expected. Agents warned that several busy days are likely on the Algerian route due to the forecast of calm seas, a reminder that this channel has become especially active whenever conditions allow.
The Algerian route grew in prominence after tighter controls were introduced in the Strait of Gibraltar, and it carries far more risk. The journey from Algeria to mainland Spain is at least 160 kilometres. Much of that crossing unfolds in the middle of commercial shipping lanes, where these small craft can find themselves drifting without protection. Officers familiar with the route have noted that “the state of the sea changes abruptly” in the Mediterranean, especially when vessels are overloaded, which is often the case.
Although numbers are dropping overall, recent months have already exposed those dangers. In mid-November, a boat arrived in Cartagena carrying the body of a 28-year-old Algerian man, along with 17 survivors. Other incidents across Spain have shown how unpredictable these movements can be, including this week’s interception of a migrant vessel by a British patrol boat off Morocco, which highlighted how widely dispersed these attempts have become. And just days earlier, European leaders approved tougher migration rules, signalling broader concern about the management of irregular arrivals.
Once in Cartagena, all migrants are taken to the Temporary Foreigners’ Detention Centre, known as CATE, where they can remain for up to 72 hours. Because irregular entry is an administrative offence rather than a crime, many are released once processing is complete. At that point, individuals can choose to enter the national reception programme, although some decline. Several express the intention to continue their journey north, often towards France, where they have relatives or friends.
While authorities continue to monitor sea conditions and prepare for further arrivals, support teams in Cartagena say their focus remains on immediate care, safe processing and clear information for those brought ashore. The expectation is that activity will stay steady for as long as the calm weather holds, with officials emphasising that the situation is being handled “day by day” as conditions evolve.
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