Spanish police arrest crew of migrant boat over eight deaths - including toddler
A court in the Canaries says there is evidence the boat crew specifically targeted people of different nationalities to theirs.
Wednesday 19 February 2025 14:44, UK
Spanish police have arrested seven crew members of a migrant boat over the alleged killing of eight passengers, including a toddler.
The Civil Guard said the crammed boat, which had 224 people on board, arrived in the Canary Islands in late December from Senegal.
After arriving on the island of El Hierro, some passengers were immediately treated for serious injuries - which police think may have been sustained in a fight during the seven-day journey.
Passengers told investigators that eight people on board - including a toddler - had been killed by crew members.
A court in the Canaries said there was evidence crew members deliberately targeted people of different backgrounds to their own.
While the backgrounds of crew members have not been disclosed, police have confirmed that among the dead was a 14-month-old Gambian boy, and a Guinean father and son - aged 50 and 18 respectively.
Police said all seven suspects are being held in prison while the investigation continues.
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In a separate case in November last year, police arrested the crew of a boat that reached the same island over the deaths of four passengers.
The perilous sea crossings are often run by human trafficking gangs - and claim thousands of lives every year.