A ferry working the Spain-North Africa links came across an illegal immigrant in the middle of this very busy shipping lane… on a surfboard.
The FRS high-speed ferry, which was just out of Algerciras, did a watery version of a handbrake turn and immediately contacted the marine branch of the Guardia Civil. They despatched a coastal-patrol launch from Ceuta to intercept the ambitious flat-board mariner.
The ferry hung about, after passing on the coordinates, util the patrol craft arrived. They picked him up and took him back to their base in Ceuta Port, who promptly handed back to the Moroccan authorities, who were ‘keen to entertain him.’
The ferry, on the other hand, arrived at it’s destination with a 45-minute delay.
But this was just one of the more curious rescue missions that the Salvamento Maritimo has carried out, rescuing crammed, open craft on their perilous voyages. Patrol vessel Guardamar Polimnia and rescue helicopter Helimer 211 are often coordinating their efforts to bring the passengers barely seaworth craft to safe port, including children and pregnant women.
(News: Andalucia)