The eastern lighthouse at the Port of Torrevieja has been inoperable for several days. The green starboard light, which serves as a warning for the vessel’s entrance, has been inoperative since last weekend. The lighthouse’s outage is the result of sabotage that has affected several of its components, according to sources from the Department of Environment, Infrastructure, and Territory of the Generalitat Valenciana, which is responsible for the management of the Torrevieja port.

The same sources have not, however, specified the duration of the outage for this critical maritime signalling system, despite their assertion that efforts are being made to restore it to operational status as soon as feasible.

Sources say one of the purse seine fishing boats that is employed by a wholesale company in San Pedro del Pinatar (Murcia) and lands its cargo at the Torrevieja fish market was involved in an accident that resulted in significant damage to its bow. The crew of the boat, which is currently undergoing repairs at the Marina Salinas marina, attributes this incident to the absence of said lighting at the port entrance.

According to other frequent port users, the lighthouse’s green light has been malfunctioning for an extended period. Recently, the lighthouse, which is also referred to as the starboard lighthouse of the Port of Torrevieja, has been subjected to continuous maintenance.

Access is exceedingly restricted

Currently, it is exceedingly challenging for the lighthouse to endure an incident of vandalism. Since November of last year, the entire Levante breakwater, which spans approximately 1,200 linear metres, has been under reconstruction. This renovation is a component of the project to renovate the cantilevered promenade, which extends to the lighthouse tower at the end of the Levante breakwater. The perimeter of the area is enclosed by a fence, and private security personnel are stationed at the facilities to prevent the entry of anglers and pedestrians, who frequently utilise this area for recreational purposes.

Additionally, the construction work has completely dismantled the upper section of the wooden planks that served as the promenade’s foundation. Consequently, accessing the lighthouse is exceedingly challenging unless one proceeds from the stone and concrete blocks to the exterior of the breakwater.

The dimly illuminated lighthouse and the final section of the lighting system that stretches for over 1,400 linear metres and outlines the breakwater itself are both depicted in the images of the dark Levante breakwater that have been released.

The services that supply electricity to the entire port area are also being impacted by the work that has begun to convert the fairgrounds to accommodate the amusement park in the port area.

Communication

The Poniente and Levante lighthouses of Torrevieja are indispensable for guaranteeing the safety of vessels during navigation. Nevertheless, the artisanal fleet’s equipment enables them to navigate without adhering to the lighthouses to identify the port entrance. Numerous other illuminated reference points are now available.

Fishing vessels do not exclusively use lighthouses. The Real Club Náutico, Marina Internacional, and Marina Salinas are the three marinas in Torrevieja, which are home to over 2,000 recreational vessels and yachts. The bay’s mouth is constantly in motion, with boats entering and exiting the area. In addition, dozens of recreational vessels are available for rent, many of which do not require a skipper’s licence. We frequently observe jet skiers and users of various water sports, including paddle surfing. Merchant salt is additionally delivered at the Sal-Poniente dock.

The Generalitat (Catalan Government) oversees approximately thirty port facilities in the Valencian Community. Torrevieja, in conjunction with Dénia, is the most significant of the terminals under its jurisdiction.

The Torrevieja Fishermen’s Association, which is currently awaiting confirmation of its concession from the Generalitat (Catalan Government) and provides unloading services and auctions to the Murcia and Almería purse seine fleet, has not offered any commentary regarding this shortage. Torrevieja fishermen operate exclusively small-scale fishing vessels. The local purser fleet has vanished entirely.

For more than a decade, the port of Torrevieja has been without a maritime captain, a civil servant position that is predominantly responsible for the supervision of traffic safety in maritime waters.

The Guardia Civil has dismantled a criminal network that was specifically dedicated to the purchase of vehicles that were purportedly imported from Germany and Belgium. The authorities have detained two of the three alleged members of the network in the province of Alicante, and two workshops in Elche are implicated in the scheme.

Fake contracts and recordings from abroad were used to deceive the victims of the alleged fraudsters, who attracted them through websites. The economic damage has been quantified at over 200,000 euros, with ten victims across Spain, following the analysis of the information acquired during the investigation. However, investigators do not rule out the possibility of new victims.

The Santa Pola Investigation Area and the Madrid Judicial Police Unit initiated the operations ‘Dasrobimport’ and ‘Bábaros’ on September 11th, 2024, in response to numerous complaints from victims in various regions of the country. These complaints were all associated with a company that operated through two websites and online sales platforms.

The strategy entailed attracting the attention of potential purchasers, obtaining their signature on a contract, and requesting a financial transfer as a reserved payment. Subsequently, new quantities were requested, citing purported logistical issues, but the vehicle was never delivered.

In order to create a more convincing appearance of legitimacy, the purported manager of the organisation even recorded videos from abroad that displayed the vehicles. This move fostered trust among the victims and facilitated the deception. Nevertheless, the investigation disclosed that the addresses specified in the contracts were inaccurate, with some of them being residential addresses in cities such as Santa Pola or Elche, where there was no genuine commercial activity.

Ultimately, on March 11th, a 27-year-old male was apprehended in Aspe, a 37-year-old woman in Torrellano, and a 39-year-old individual in the province of Tarragona. In the municipality of El Vendrell (Tarragona), an investigation was also conducted on a 30-year-old woman.

The juvenile gangs of Villajoyosa are persistent, which has once again caused concern among certain residents of the municipality. In recent days, they have been observed engaging in fights, vandalising vehicles, and stealing, with some of the incidents involving knives.

Videos of these organisations, which were established by young individuals from the municipality, are currently being shared on social media. They exhibit their members engaging in fights that resemble genuine pitched battles and damaging vehicles.

The town’s residents have disclosed their experiences on social media platforms and have denounced the increasing insecurity that has invaded specific regions of the town.

In the past few days, a gang from La Vila and another from Benidorm have engaged in a confrontation. The video captures the dispute, in which a number of young people are observed striking another individual with punches and knees while they are on the ground.

Another of the most sensational videos is that of two other young people in what appears to be a struggle with a large knife in the Pati Fosc park, which is located just a few metres from the CEIP Mare Nostrum.

These groups have had a particularly severe impact on this neighbourhood, as they have been known to smash vehicle windows, empty fire extinguishers, hurl rocks at windows, and pull down shutters on businesses. This has caused fear among residents and shopkeepers.

The Villajoyosa Neighbourhood Group (GVV), a political party that was established by the merger of numerous neighbourhood groups, has spoken out and shared a series of recordings to condemn the situation.

Residents share their experiences and urge action in the posts.

“Enough of this selfless behaviour. I have been apprehensive about walking the dog since before the end of the year, as I arrive home from work at night. This town is a high-quality tourist attraction and is characterised by its stunning beauty. One resident laments, “The consequences of failure to act are always negative, even for good people.” “Nothing will occur until the death of an individual’s daughter or son,” observes another.

These incidents are in addition to the ongoing vehicle vandalism and another recent mass altercation. One video depicts a gang member jumping from the hood of one vehicle to the hood of another between parked cars.

Quantifications

Robberies and score-settling have become prevalent in the municipal market. In recent months, there have been frequent conflicts between clans and gangs, and on Thursday, numerous pickpockets exploited the area’s activity.

The Villajoyosa Neighbourhood Group has urged the city council to take “urgent action to address this situation” and has sought a more effective and deterrent police presence within the market. In the interim, they strongly encourage residents to exercise utmost caution.

The situation has caused many residents to erupt, despite the fact that it is localised to specific areas of the town. Another user commented, “If the police fail to fulfil their obligations, it is incumbent upon us to take action.”

Nevertheless, a significant number of individuals have disseminated bigoted and xenophobic messages directed at the Muslim community and have linked juvenile delinquency to immigration.