Spanish police say they have arrested 19 people suspected of murder and torture after more than 50 went missing from a migrant boat that was traveling from Senegal to the Canary Islands. Police suspect some of the victims were accused of being 'witches' after several incidents during the journey, including engine failure, bad weather, and food shortages. The wooden vessel was rescued south of Gran Canaria on 24 August with 248 survivors on board, the Spanish National Police stated. However, officials believe that about 300 people were originally aboard the boat, suggesting that some had been thrown overboard.
Survivors told police that some of their fellow passengers began 'attacking dozens of people, beating and abusing them in various ways,' a police statement said. 'In some cases, they threw migrants into the sea alive and refused to rescue those who fell in by accident.' Suspected killings were also documented 'simply because some people protested or expressed their dissatisfaction with the conditions of the voyage.' One male passenger died in hospital after being found seriously ill when the vessel was intercepted, according to police. Those on board included individuals from Senegal, Guinea, Mali, Gambia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea-Bissau.
All 19 suspects are in pretrial detention facing charges of facilitating irregular immigration, homicide, assault, and torture. Spain is a key entry point for irregular migration into Europe, primarily through the Canary Islands. In 2024, almost 47,000 migrants reached the archipelago, setting a record for a second consecutive year, though numbers have decreased significantly so far this year, according to the Spanish Interior Ministry.
Survivors told police that some of their fellow passengers began 'attacking dozens of people, beating and abusing them in various ways,' a police statement said. 'In some cases, they threw migrants into the sea alive and refused to rescue those who fell in by accident.' Suspected killings were also documented 'simply because some people protested or expressed their dissatisfaction with the conditions of the voyage.' One male passenger died in hospital after being found seriously ill when the vessel was intercepted, according to police. Those on board included individuals from Senegal, Guinea, Mali, Gambia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea-Bissau.
All 19 suspects are in pretrial detention facing charges of facilitating irregular immigration, homicide, assault, and torture. Spain is a key entry point for irregular migration into Europe, primarily through the Canary Islands. In 2024, almost 47,000 migrants reached the archipelago, setting a record for a second consecutive year, though numbers have decreased significantly so far this year, according to the Spanish Interior Ministry.
