According to the Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF), by judicial decision, it was determined that the Moroccan nationals who landed off Vale do Lobo Beach, in the Algarve, would stay in the Temporary Installation Centres for another 30 days.

This decision by the Loulé Court was taken “pending authorisation from the Moroccan authorities to carry out their removal, taking into account the constraints in force in the context of combating the covid-19 pandemic”, explains the SEF.

The Foreigners and Borders Service told Lusa that the 11 citizens of the group who are in the Temporary Installation Centre at Francisco Sá Carneiro airport, in Porto, reacted "violently" to the court decision.

"It is recalled that three citizens of this group had already escaped from that space on the 3rd of July, having been located on the same day and resettled there," added the SEF, stressing that "the situation is being monitored, together with the Public Security Police”.

The vessel, with a total of 22 migrants from North Africa, was intercepted by the Maritime Police on 15 June, when the crew were preparing to disembark at Vale do Lobo Beach, in the Algarve.

At the time, the 22 occupants of the vessel told the Portuguese authorities that they were Moroccan and explained that they had left the city of El-Jadida, in Morocco.