Almost all the migrants who arrived at dusk on a rickety wooden boat of the size that doesn’t trigger surveillance alerts are to be sent back to Morocco within 60 days.
A decision on the ‘family of five’ (the mother, father and three young children), a 14-year-old boy and a man suffering kidney problems, is being decided by judges in Lagos today (see update below). Some of this group of seven were rehospitalised over the weekend, due to indispositions almost certainly resulting from the period they spent on board the boat.
But as to the rest (31 people, mainly young men) these are being re-located from the sports hall in Vila do Bispo where they have been staying since Friday, to temporary installation centres in Porto, Lisbon and Faro.
The idea is that they can leave, voluntarily, within the period of 20 days, or will be forcibly repatriated within a period of 60 days. The time limit given allows for authorities to coordinate arrangements with Morocco, and if possible confirm identities (most if not all the migrants travelled over without documentation).
As reports explain, CITs are designed for foreign nationals subject to expulsion measures, or for foreign nationals waiting for a decision on a request for international protection (this latter state does not cover any of the Boca do Rio arrivals).
Update: Lagos court decided the family of five, and the 14-year-old boy need to return to Morocco under the same terms as the other 31 migrants. A decision now is only pending on the man receiving hospital treatment for kidney problems.
Sources: CNN/ TVI/ SIC Notícias
