Spain cancels migrants' flights

2006-09-14 09:44

Madrid - Senegal forced Spanish authorities to cancel two flights that were to repatriate about 100 expelled Senegalese immigrants from the Canary Islands, said reports on Thursday.

It was reported that the two planes didn't take off as scheduled during the night from Fuerteventura Island as authorities in Dakar would not authorise them to land in the Senegalese capital "for technical reasons".

It said the decision to stop the flights was taken by Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade and there was no indication when the repatriations could take place.

However, the reports said the planes could fly later on Thursday to the northern Senegalese town of Saint Louis instead of Dakar.

Spain announced on Wednesday that it was expelling Senegalese clandestine immigrants from the Canary Islands.

Madrid expelled 99 Senegalese immigrants at the end of May under an agreement with Dakar under which about 700 people were to be repatriated.

But, the Senegalese government suspended the measure due to the humiliating conditions of the expulsions, during which its nationals were handcuffed by Spanish police.

The Canaries, between 100 and 400km from the African coast, became the preferred route for clandestine migrants after security was heightened at Spain's enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla in North Africa, which were stormed by thousands of migrants last year.

- AFP