Omar Bah
Spanish authorities have arrested seven crew members of a crowded migrant boat that arrived in the Canary Islands in December from Senegal following allegations of the killing of eight passengers, including a 14-month-old boy from The Gambia.
The Spanish Civil Guard reported that among the deceased were a Guinean father and his 18-year-old son. Spanish officials have not disclosed the nationality of the crew members.
The boat reached La Restinga port on the island of El Hierro on December 28, carrying 224 passengers, some of whom required immediate medical attention for serious injuries sustained, presumably during a brawl that occurred during the seven-day journey, as stated by police.
Passengers have informed investigators that the crew members killed eight individuals during the voyage. A court in the Canaries, which handled cases of three suspects, indicated evidence suggesting the crew specifically targeted passengers of different nationalities.
All seven suspects have remained in custody pending further investigation, according to police reports.
In a separate incident last year, authorities arrested the crew of another boat that arrived at El Hierro on November 3, 2024, for allegedly killing four passengers during their perilous journey.
The seven Spanish islands off the northwestern coast of Africa are currently grappling with a surge in irregular migration, predominantly from Mali, Senegal, and Morocco. The treacherous open-sea crossings, often organized by migrant trafficking gangs, result in thousands of fatalities each year.
According to interior ministry data, arrivals in the archipelago reached a record high of 46,843 individuals last year, accounting for 73% of the illegal migration to Spain.
