Spanish Authorities Arrests 19 Suspects Accused of Brutality and Homicide Following 50 Passengers Vanish from Vessel
Spanish police detained a group of 19 accused of homicide and brutal abuse following more than 50 people disappeared from a vessel sailing from West Africa to the Canary Islands.
Police believe some passengers were labeled of being "witches" after several incidents throughout the voyage, such as mechanical issues, bad weather, and food shortages.
The wooden vessel was intercepted off the coast of Gran Canaria on August 24 with 248 survivors aboard, according to official sources.
But, authorities estimate that about 300 individuals were originally aboard, and that some were pushed into the sea.
Those rescued reported to authorities that a number of their fellow passengers began "attacking many of people, beating and mistreating them in multiple forms," a police statement indicated.
"On several occasions, they threw passengers into the sea alive and refused to rescue those who ended up in the water inadvertently."
Alleged fatal attacks were also documented "merely due to the fact that some people objected or expressed their dissatisfaction with the conditions of the voyage," authorities added.
A man passed away in hospital after being found in critical condition when the boat was located, according to police.
Passengers included people from Senegalese, Guinea, Malian, Gambian, Sierra Leonean, and Guinea-Bissau backgrounds, local media reported.
All 19 suspects are in custody facing facilitating irregular immigration, homicide, physical violence, and torture.
The country is among the frontline gateways for unauthorized entry into the EU, with most arriving via the Canary Islands.
Nearly 47,000 migrants arrived at the islands in the previous year, setting a record for a consecutive year, but figures have been significantly reduced so far this year, according to official data.
