Something was wrong with the guard inspecting sealed bags containing toxic ashes at the dead in Melilla, one of the two small Spanish territories in North Africa. So he pulled out a knife, opened the bag, and found a motionless leg, confirming his suspicion that a person was inside.
He lifted and lowered his foot several times without reacting. After a moment, the leg suddenly rushed and a young man came out of the ashes, scared and disoriented, but alive.
The disturbing image in a video released Monday by the Spanish Civil Guard highlights the sacrifices and risks that migrants and asylum seekers take in their desperate attempts to reach Europe.
The survivor is among the 41 people found hidden among the goods in the area of the port of Melilla on Friday, who were trying to board a ship to take them across the Mediterranean Sea to reach mainland Spain.
Four of them were found hidden in containers under bottles and other pieces of broken glass for recycling.
Surrounded by Morocco, the small Spanish enclaves of Melilla and Ceuta have been a target for many African migrants for years. However, both territories are outside the Schengen area of free movement in Europe, so many of them get stuck in their attempt to set foot on European territory.
The port of Melilla, where trucks and containers are transported for a trip to Spain, which can take up to seven hours, offers many the chance to escape. Some try to reach the fenced area of the port by swimming or hiding under vehicles, sometimes jumping into them when slowing down or braking near the port.
Others try to climb fences and perimeter walls, sometimes falling and suffering serious injuries.
With the help of tracking dogs and microphones to detect heartbeats, police often find people hidden among transports, from containers to cement mixers. According to the Civil Guard, this year alone, 1,781 migrants were found invading the security perimeter of the port of Melilla; last year the figure was 11,700.
However, discoveries like last week’s are puzzling even for the most experienced officers.
“We never get used to it,” said Juan Antonio Martín, a spokesman for the Melilla Civil Guard.