Madrid: Spanish authorities have arrested seven crew members of a migrant boat that reached the Canary Islands in December, accusing them of the deaths of eight passengers, including a 14-month-old baby, the Civil Guard announced on Wednesday.
The vessel arrived at La Restinga port on El Hierro island on December 28, carrying 224 people. Several passengers required immediate medical attention for severe injuries, which authorities believe resulted from a violent altercation during the weeklong voyage from Senegal.
According to witness testimonies, the crew allegedly killed eight fellow travelers. A court in the Canary Islands, which has already processed three of the detainees, cited evidence suggesting the victims were specifically targeted based on their nationality. Among those killed were a Gambian toddler and a Guinean father and son, aged 50 and 18.
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While authorities have not disclosed the nationalities of the arrested crew, all seven suspects have been placed in pretrial detention as investigations continue.
This case echoes a similar incident last year when authorities arrested the crew of another migrant boat that arrived in El Hierro on November 3, 2024, for allegedly killing four passengers during the perilous Atlantic crossing.
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The Canary Islands have been grappling with an unprecedented surge in irregular migration, primarily from Senegal, Mali, and Morocco. The dangerous Atlantic route, often controlled by human trafficking networks, claims thousands of lives annually.
According to Spain’s Interior Ministry, 46,843 migrants arrived in the archipelago last year, marking a record high and accounting for 73% of all illegal entries into Spain.
