Thousands of migrants swam from Morocco to the Spanish exclave of Ceuta in a short space of time. The dramatic rescue of a baby causes a stir.
Ceuta – During the dramatic migrant crisis in Ceuta, in which 8,000 people swimming from Morocco reached the Spanish North Africa exclave, one scene caused a particularly sensation: A photo shows an officer of the Spanish police unit Guardia Civil (civil guard) holds a few months old baby in the Mediterranean with a lifebuoy.
Diver Juan Francisco Valle quickly became a celebrated hero in Spain – and a much sought-after interviewee.
The baby was carried on Tuesday by the mother floating in the water, the police officer told the radio station Cope on Wednesday. “We grabbed the baby, it was freezing cold, completely pale, it didn’t move at all …” he said. “In all honesty, I didn’t know whether it was still alive or dead.”
The experienced officer admitted that the operation was “a bit traumatic”. Often it was not possible to tell what the swimming migrants were carrying on their backs – “whether backpacks or clothing, or maybe small babies”.
After two chaotic days with the arrival of more than 8,000 migrants within just 36 hours on Monday and Tuesday, the situation in Ceuta had calmed down significantly on Wednesday. The number of people quickly deported back to Morocco was recently around 5600, as the government in Madrid announced. (dpa)
