Image Credit: SAMEER AL-DOUMY / Contributor / Getty 
A group of migrants was intercepted by holidaymakers as they tried to reach the shore in southern Spain, with several tackled and held until police arrived.
The incident occurred on Sunday afternoon at Sotillo Beach in the Andalusian town of Castell de Ferro. According to local authorities, 13 men believed to be from North Africa jumped from a boat just offshore and swam toward the crowded beach, prompting an immediate reaction from those present.
Video shows bystanders, including both locals and tourists, restraining some of the migrants until officers from the Civil Guard arrived. Lifeguards had raised the alarm after spotting the vessel heading for the beach.
Police confirmed that nine individuals were taken into custody and are now being held at a nearby migrant facility. The whereabouts of the remaining four are unknown, with officials suggesting they may have fled into the town.
“This is only the second time in 2025 that a boat has reached the beaches of Granada province,” said José Antonio Martos, deputy head of the regional authority. “Arrivals here remain extremely rare.”
While beach landings are uncommon on the Spanish mainland, the country continues to face mounting pressure from irregular migration elsewhere. Tighter controls in the central Mediterranean have redirected many journeys to the Atlantic route via West Africa.
Spain recorded a record high of over 63,000 irregular arrivals in 2024, with the Canary Islands receiving the bulk—more than 46,000—of those making the dangerous crossing.
