Special Interest Sites in Deprivation of Liberty 232. The deportees boarded the plane with the custody agents forming a secu­ rity corridor from the vehicle that had brought them from the terminal to the aircraft. Each detainee was guarded by four agents: one in front, another in back and one on each side. The Nigerian woman who was being repatriated by Spain had to have her legs immobilized with restraint belts when she tried to resist boarding the aircraft. Once they were inside the airplane, the agents accompa­ nied detainees to the seat that had been assigned by the Dutch agents in charge, since Holland had organized this FRONTEX flight. The head of the Spanish op­ eration informed the inspection team that after the plane had taken off, immobi­ lization belts would be removed if the returnees were calm. It was noted that the detainees repatriated from Holland were not wearing any kind of physical re­ straint. The aircraft had two rows of seats, with three seats on each side. A de­ tainee sat in each row (in the middle or window seat), with two police escorts in charge of his/her custody. According to what the inspection team was told, the deportees kept their seat belts on for the whole flight. During the flight returnees 233. This operation did not have any Spanish physician or nurses, since it was up to the authorities of Holland, who had organized the flight, to appoint the healthcare service for the operation, which in this case was a Dutch physician without the assistance of a nurse. In respect to detainees repatriated by Spain, there was a list with their particulars in which it was noted that they were all in good health to travel. In this regard, the persons in charge of the operation in­ formed the inspection team that no systematic medical check-ups are performed. Instead only foreigners being repatriated undergoing medical treatment or who have some symptoms or ailment are examined by a physician, who decides if they are in condition to travel and prepares a report that is given to the head of the operation. Otherwise, it is noted by default that the deportees are healthy and fit to travel. One of the persons who was going to be repatriated, and who did not have a medical report, told the inspection team that he suffered from a heart ail­ ment and was undergoing treatment with a medication he had not taken. On confirmation of this fact by the medical service of the Immigrant Detention Center, the Directorate General of the Police was informed that said circum­ stances should have appeared in the Immigrant Detention Center medical re­ port, with express mention of whether the citizen was fit to travel, even though he had not taken his medication, and informing the physician on board the airplane of the situation. As the operation was 234. In case the persons who are going to be repatriated have a medical report, the head of the operation informed the inspection team that it would be given to the physician intervening in the operation, and that if the latter did not speak Spanish the report would be translated orally. This Institution believes that in these cases multilingual versions of said documents should be issued, in accord­ ance with Directive 1.1.2 on Security Rules in Joint Expulsions by Air, of the Council Decision of 29th April 2004. Multilanguage versions of THE OMBUDSMAN OF SPAIN keep their seat belts buckled organized by Holland, this country was responsible for the medical care the medical reports should be provided 159

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