WATCH: Paddleboat Full of Migrants Arrives at Shores of Spain’s Costa del Sol at the Crack of Dawn

A paddleboat full of migrants has just arrived at the shores of Spain’s Costa del Sol. The video was filmed at the crack of dawn this morning and shows how a group of migrants jump off the paddleboat and into Estepona.

The video was filmed by a witness on El Velerin beach in Estepona. The issue of migrants coming into the country illegally has been exacerbated during the pandemic. Many residents are worried about the influx of immigrants from unknown countries as they could be Covid carriers.

The close proximity of these migrants for long hours during their journey means there is an even greater risk that they become infected with the virus. Human traffickers cram in as many migrants as they possibly can in one boat. This makes the risk of the virus spreading amongst them even higher. Therefore, the protocol when these migrants arrive is always to test them and isolate them for a period of two weeks to ensure that they are not carriers.

Imported cases have caused a great deal of controversy in the country. This is especially true for the residents of the Canary Islands, as this is a close point of interest for travelling migrants due to its proximity to Africa. A few weeks ago the residents in Tunte barricaded the entrance to the town to protest against the arrival of the migrants. 

The main issue with the arrival of migrants is that if they enter the country unchecked they may carry the virus with them. If they are not monitored they cannot trace their contacts and transmission may become communal, with no clear origin of how and when it began.

The Costa del Sol is currently experiencing a dramatic increase in the number of cases, especially in Marbella which now accounts for a majority of cases and outbreaks in the province.