Security at a Cartagena sports centre, where a hundred Algerians have been kept, since arriving on a Patera Wednesday, has been called into question, after eight of them managed to escape.

The eight men got away through the air conditioning ducts, without being detected by either the private security guards inside the building, hired by the council, or by the Civil Guard patrols that guard the exterior of the building. These are in addition to the 59 who escaped last Saturday morning by forcing a back door.

The eight fugitives took escaped overnight taking advantage of the dark and the ducts in a temporary air conditioning system set up on Thursday. The guards say they heard noises but were unable to detain any of the escapees, all young men and in good physical condition. Authorities believe that they will be heading for France.

This is the third escape from the nearly five hundred Algerian immigrants who arrived by boat during the last weekend of July. A week ago, one hundred managed to escape from the Escombreras docks while being guarded by the National Police, although most were back in custody within 24 hours. And then on Saturday from confinement in Cabezo Beaza, another 59 escaped of which 17 have been found.