The Fortune Sánchez's Government Spends to Rescue Illegal Immigrants

Pedro Sánchez's government has announced an investment of more than 111 million euros to improve rescue operations at sea.

The funds will be allocated to the purchase of new vessels and a helicopter, as well as the construction of a Maritime Rescue coordination center in Palma, which will replace the current one located in a rented building.

These measures are part of the National Maritime Rescue Plan 2025-2027, which will be approved at the next Council of Ministers. Driven by the Ministry of Transport, the plan will have a total budget of 163 million euros.

This, with the largest allocation aimed at renewing and expanding the maritime and aerial resources used in rescue operations. This investment represents a significant reinforcement compared to the previous plan (2021-2024), which had 173.6 million euros distributed over three years.

With this new strategy, the government seeks to improve the response capacity to emergencies at sea and optimize the coordination of rescue services.

The new National Maritime Rescue Plan 2025-2027 will prioritize the modernization of the fleet and the improvement of rescue resources. Among the highlighted measures, the construction of two patrol boats and two tugboats is planned to replace the oldest units in service. Additionally, six fast-action vessels, with more than 25 years of age, will undergo a complete renovation, and two additional itinerant units will be added to reinforce operational capacity.

Regarding aerial resources, the plan foresees the replacement of a medium helicopter with one of greater capacity, with an investment of 27 million euros. Drones will also be incorporated to improve surveillance and optimize rescue operations at sea. In total, the modernization of the maritime fleet will absorb 84.6 million euros.

In addition to strengthening rescue resources, the government will promote new measures to ensure that maritime transport complies with environmental and decarbonization regulations. With the inclusion of the sector in the CO₂ emissions trading scheme, the supervision of compliance with these regulations will be intensified, as well as the control of possible pollutant spills at sea.