The body of a man was found lying on the beach of La Caleta in Malaga on Sunday, Spanish police have reported. At around 3.17pm yesterday, emergency services received a call from the beach coordination services that a lifeless body had been found.

It is believed the corpse was dragged onto the beach by the waves. There is very little information available about the incident so far, only that the body is that of a young man. An investigation is underway to understand what had transpired. Bodies washing up on the shores of southern Spain are a regular event, however, it is a rare occurrence on La Caleta beach.

It is possible, The Olive Press reported, that the man was an African migrant who attempted to enter Spain illegally, fell out of a boat and drowned. The proximity of the European and African continents - across the Alboran Sea and the Strait of Gibraltar - make the region a hub for human trafficking.

Situated between La Malagueta and Los Baños del Carmen, La Caleta Beach takes its name from the affluent neighbourhood it belongs to, which was chosen as a place of residence by the upper middle class of the 19th century to build their villas and mansions.

According to visita. Malaga.eu, the upper classes of Malaga were attracted to the area due to its microclimate. However, the houses were built with their backs to the beach, as it was generally believed by the upper classes at the time that being close to seawater was unhealthy.

La Caleta beach is over 3,200 feet long and has an average width of 82 feet. It also has been awarded the Blue Flag, a distinction awarded by the European Foundation for Environmental Education. Bordering the Pablo Ruiz Picasso Beachfront Promenade, its amenities include showers, green areas, hammocks and beach umbrella rentals, beach bars and a children’s playground.

Its proximity to the city centre makes La Caleta one of the most frequented beaches in Malaga. Visitors can go there on foot or take a bus out of the city. It is also a popular destination for locals, who are also able to escape the bustle of the city in just a few minutes.

The bodies of eight migrants, thought to be of North African origin, were found on beaches in Almeria, southern Spain in the space of just a few days in September 2021.

One child, aged four, and three women were among the corpses. The authorities said they could have come from one or several small boats that had set off from either Algeria or Morocco.

At this time, the most popular route to arrive in southern Spain was from the Algerian town of Oran.