7 smugglers arrested for migrant deaths on voyage to Canary Islands
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Described by police as the "captains" of the boat, the detainees were in charge of a vessel that arrived at El Hierro on November 3 with 207 asylum seekers on board.
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Migrants crowd a wooden boat as they sail to the port in La Restinga on the Canary island of El Hierro, Spain, Monday, on August 19, 2024. (AP)
Spanish authorities announced on Sunday the arrest of seven individuals suspected of being responsible for the deaths of four migrants during a perilous journey from Africa to the Canary Islands in November. The suspects were apprehended at an emergency accommodation center on the island of Tenerife.
Described by police as the "captains" of the boat, the detainees were in charge of a vessel that arrived at El Hierro on November 3 with 207 asylum seekers on board.
"They are suspected of killing four of the people, two days before the boat reached the Canaries coast," authorities stated.
Investigators began probing the deaths based on testimony from survivors, who recounted a harrowing ordeal. According to their accounts, the vessel departed from Gambia, stopping at the Senegalese island of Bassoul to take on most of its passengers.
Three days into the voyage, the traffickers onboard began to enforce brutal discipline. Police reported that a passenger, possibly disoriented due to the challenging conditions, was targeted by the captains, who blamed him for issues during the trip.
This "led the captains to blame him for all the problems of the crossing and start beating him and those who tried to defend him," the police noted.
Read more: Record number of migrants lost at sea bound for Spain in 2024: NGO
In a further act of violence, the traffickers "apparently decided to murder four of the migrants to frighten the rest," police added. Three victims have been identified, and their families have been informed.
Among the survivors, one individual required hospitalization and surgery for what police suspect was a knife wound.
Enduring crisis
Spain, alongside Italy and Greece, is a primary entry point for migrants seeking asylum in the European Union.
The Canary Islands have experienced a sharp rise in arrivals of undocumented migrants in recent years, with rescue teams frequently intervening in dangerous waters.
According to the human rights group Caminando Fronteras, more than 10,400 asylum seekers have drowned or gone missing at sea this year while attempting to reach Spain, highlighting the extreme risks faced by those fleeing conflict, persecution, and poverty.
In late November, Spain introduced a migration reform aiming to legalize approximately 300,000 migrants each year for the next three years.
Read more: Spain to legalize 300,000 migrants annually under new reform plan
