The duty judge in San Bartolomé de Tirajana (Gran Canaria) has remanded 17 of the 251 occupants from a migrant boat rescued on 24 August into custody. This decision follows the tragic deaths of dozens of their companions aboard the vessel, which is alleged to have involved several violent deaths.
This ruling came after the magistrate listened to testimonies on Friday not only from the 17 detainees—16 Senegalese and one Gambian—but also from four survivors of the boat who provided a harrowing account of extreme violence, including beatings and several people thrown overboard alive, according to judicial sources.
Charges and Investigation
The detainees face the usual charge of a crime against the rights of foreign citizens (facilitating irregular immigration as boat captains), but this case also includes charges of assault and crimes against life.
Sources clarified that this is a generic classification, which may evolve into charges of voluntary manslaughter or murder (with premeditation) as the investigation progresses and further survivor testimonies are gathered.
Deaths and Survivor Accounts
While the exact number of victims is not yet confirmed, it may exceed fifty and could approach seventy deaths, as witnesses claim the boat set out for the Canary Islands with “more than 300” occupants, with some citing as many as 320.
If this latter figure is verified, it would make this boat the largest to attempt the Canary Route so far, equalling the vessel that arrived at La Restinga port in El Hierro on 21 October 2023, which also carried 320 people.
This enormous boat left with occupants mainly from Gambia and Senegal and was found adrift eleven days later by a merchant ship, over 400 kilometres south of the Canary Islands, off the coast of Dakhla (Western Sahara).
The Journey and Tragedy
Salvamento Marítimo posted a photograph on social media on 24 August, taken at sea, showing the overcrowding on the boat, although the image does not capture those travelling in the lower levels.
Before heading towards Spain, the boat anchored off the coast for several days while smaller boats brought in additional passengers, creating tension among the occupants due to the cramped conditions.
At an unspecified point during the journey, the boat’s engine failed, leading to tragedy. Initially, the fatalities resulted from dehydration over several days, but the situation escalated when some migrants were accused of being witches responsible for the misfortunes. Those unfortunate souls were tied up, beaten, and thrown alive into the sea.
This incident is not the first of its kind on the Canary Route. In fact, the El Hierro court is currently investigating two similar cases brought to light by the Civil Guard at the end of 2024, in which four and eight individuals were reportedly murdered, respectively, also based on similar superstitious accusations.
Escalating Violence
Witnesses described how the violence intensified over the days as water and food supplies dwindled, with captains attempting to impose their authority, armed with sticks and knives. Not only were those labelled as “witches” thrown into the ocean, but also those who defended them or simply complained about the harsh conditions or requested food and water.
The brutality of the accounts provided by the survivors has shocked even the interpreters who translated their statements for the court, despite their experience in dealing with such matters, sources have noted.
Injuries and Threats
In addition to fatalities, there were reports of injuries and threats: one witness had their teeth broken, another was doused in petrol, and a third was threatened with retaliation against their child, a minor travelling with them, if they did not comply with orders.
At this stage of the investigation, the total number of deaths has not yet been specified, but available testimonies detail deaths from dehydration and individuals thrown alive into the sea. The former is typically classified in courts as negligent homicide; the latter could be categorised as manslaughter or murder, depending on the circumstances.
EFE
