Spain Demolishes Historic Clock Tower on Disputed Al Hoceima Island Off Moroccan Coast

The Al Hoceima rock loses one of the architectural elements that distinguish it. Its clock tower has been demolished due to its advanced state of deterioration and the risk of collapse it presented, explained the Spanish Ministry of Defense. The demolition process had been initiated more than a year ago, more precisely on June 15, 2022, recalls La Razón, noting that the operation should require a budget of 240,797 euros, all taxes included, and be executed within a maximum period of six months.

The company Acynia Engineering, the only one to bid for the tender, was selected. The demolition was scheduled for June, but due to the absence of a safety plan on the site, the Ministry of Defense had to postpone the operation to this summer. The operation was finally carried out in August. According to ministry sources, the tower had no "historical value" and will not be rebuilt, as "it generated aeronautical problems and made helicopter maneuvers difficult".

The demolition of the clock tower confirms the state of abandonment of the Al Hoceima rock. Last year, the Melilla army transferred the remains of the bodies of 54 Spanish soldiers buried in a cemetery on the islet to the Immaculate Conception cemetery in Melilla. Another important place on the rock, the Puerta del Varadero, collapsed barely five years ago. Moreover, Morocco has constantly claimed the Al Hoceima rock as well as the Chafarinas and Velez de la Gomera islands.