Algeria says working to bring back 7 teen migrants from Spain

Spain's Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska, centre, gives a statement to journalists in this file photo. (AP Photo/Mosa'ab Elshamy)

Algeria said Monday it was working to repatriate seven teenagers whose Mediterranean crossing to Spain went viral on TikTok and sparked controversy over irregular migration from the North African country.

During an official visit to Algiers by Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska, his Algerian counterpart Said Sayoud said “efforts are underway to return the seven minors currently in Spain”.

“All documents and information requested by the Spanish authorities have been provided,” Sayoud added. “God willing, Algeria’s request will be met in the near future.”

Grande-Marlaska said that request was pending a judicial approval in Spain.

Clips of the teenagers crossing to Spain from a town near Algiers, first seen in early September, show the boys cutting across the sea in a small boat, with one video drawing over three million views.

Another shows one of the boys, the youngest of whom was said to be just 14, patting the motor as a self-appointed captain shouted: “Spain!”

Many in Algeria have blamed their parents for allowing the trip, while others saw the incident as underlining the lack of opportunities for young people in the country.

Grande-Marlaska said the parents of the teenagers had requested their repatriation and “the procedure is ongoing in our country”.

“The Public Prosecutor’s Office is co-ordinating... and will analyze all the documentation sent by the Algerian authorities,” he added.

The teens are reportedly at a juvenile centre in the custody of Spanish immigration services.

Europe’s border agency Frontex said last month irregular crossings on western Mediterranean routes had risen by 22 per cent since the start of 2025 compared to last year.

Departures from Algeria alone accounted for over 90 percent of the 11,791 crossings the EU agency detected on those routes by September.

In a statement, the Algerian Interior Ministry said irregular migration was a “common challenge” between Spain and Algeria.

It said authorities had prevented some 100,000 attempts to set sail illegally for Europe from Algeria since 2024, adding that more than 82,000 migrants were returned to their countries.

This can include other migrants transiting through Algeria, usually from sub-Saharan African countries.