Aquarius teens flee shelter in Alicante; 12 still missing

According to police, a total of 28 sub-Saharan Africans, all aged around 16 or 17 but still classed as 'minors' and therefore the responsibility of social services, fled their residence in Alicante in the early hours of Friday and had not returned by Monday.

A search party eventuallyy found 16 of them, four of who were walking down a country lane, the Camino de la Parra, in neighbouring El Campello.

Another was walking down the hard shoulder of the A-70 motorway and was found at kilometre 8, near the exit for Villafranqueza.

The search remains open for the other 12, although it is hoped they may return of their own free will.

As the Aquarius migrants were brought to Spain at the behest of the authorities rather than having entered the country via the 'back door', they are not technically required to remain in the centres they have been placed in – mainly hotels, residential centres or apartments owned by city councils across the Valencia region – but it is in their interests to do so as they will be given food and other basics whilst there, plus language tuition, professional training or conversion, medical care, counselling, and have an interpreter on hand at all times for their legal and social requirements, all this with the aim of helping them resettle into society so they can live and work in Spain like any other citizen or legal resident.

Any of them who are under 18, however, are required to remain in the custody of authorities as they are considered 'children' in the eyes of the law.