Spain Deploys Naval Ship to Boost Maritime Security Near Moroccan Border

These missions, initiated regularly by the Rayo ship, complement the actions of the Isla Pinto patrol boat, based in the autonomous city. They aim to prevent small asymmetric or conventional threats and to strengthen maritime security in general, explains the Spanish navy to El Debate.

The BAM Rayo belongs to the Naval Command of the Canary Islands, based at the Arsenal de Las Palmas. The ship has a crew of 41 men and ten women and is dedicated to maritime security missions, control and defense of areas of sovereignty and national interest, as well as operations against maritime pollution, illegal fishing, drug trafficking or terrorism at sea.

This mission of the BAM Rayo comes in a particular context, marked by the non-reopening of the Melilla customs office, closed by Morocco since 2018 and which should resume its activities after the normalization of relations between Spain and Morocco in April 2022.

The second vice-president and spokeswoman of the Autonomous City, Fadela Mohatar, as well as other members of the local Executive and deputies, with the exception of those from the PSOE, participated in the demonstration organized this Thursday by the businessmen of Melilla to demand the reopening of customs and the respect of the traveler regime at the border post.