Speedboat carrying 50 migrants lands at Cartagena cove as regional president demands security

Arrival at Cala Punta Negra

A speedboat carrying approximately 50 migrants arrived on the coast of Cartagena on Saturday, 22 August 2026. The vessel reached land directly at Cala Punta Negra, a coastal cove situated in the municipality. The occupants disembarked after the speedboat completed its run into the shallow waters of the bay. Video footage captured the boat navigating toward the shore at high speed before completing its landing. The recording was broadcast by the regional television network and subsequently published on social media by regional authorities. This event marked the second time within two days that a boat carrying migrants has reached the coastal perimeter of Cartagena.

Political reaction in the Region of Murcia

The landing at Cala Punta Negra prompted immediate public criticism from the President of the Region of Murcia, Fernando Lopez Miras. Lopez Miras formally described the arrival as indignant and inadmissible, directing his statements toward national administration officials. He argued that the central government has failed to implement effective measures to prevent small boats from reaching regional shores.

Siguen llegando lanchas con inmigrantes ilegales a la Región de Murcia, ante la pasividad absoluta del Ministerio y la Delegación del Gobierno

Following the incident, the regional president demanded an urgent reinforcement of surveillance and control mechanisms across the coastline of the Region of Murcia. Lopez Miras specifically criticized what he termed the absolute passivity of both the Ministry and the Government Delegation. He called on authorities to take immediate action to bring an end to the lack of control along regional beaches.

Previous landing at Cala del Barco

The arrival at Cala Punta Negra followed an earlier landing that took place two days prior, on Thursday, 20 August 2026. In that earlier event, another vessel reached the shore at Cala del Barco, a separate cove also located within Cartagena. The Government Delegation in Murcia officially confirmed that the previous boat, a traditional patera, carried a total of 62 migrants across the Mediterranean. Authorities indicated that the individuals traveling aboard that vessel were apparently of Algerian nationality.

Official records released by the Government Delegation detailed the demographic breakdown of the 62 individuals. The group consisted of 45 adult men and two adult women. In addition to the adult passengers, the vessel carried 15 minors, all of whom were male.

Search operation and emergency response

Following the Thursday arrival at Cala del Barco, the Guardia Civil activated a specialized security operation to locate every passenger from the boat. Law enforcement personnel successfully tracked down and accounted for all 62 occupants in the surrounding coastal area. Authorities confirmed that all individuals were found in good health despite the sea voyage. Emergency medical teams from the Red Cross (Cruz Roja) provided on-site medical attention and primary care to the arrivals. After completing their health assessments, the Guardia Civil transferred the 62 migrants into the custody of the National Police (Policia Nacional) to carry out standard administrative and legal procedures.