The Court of Instruction in La Laguna (Tenerife) has ordered the pretrial detention without bail of three suspected organisers of a migrant boat that arrived in El Hierro on 3rd November 2024. The men are accused of murdering eight of the 215 passengers during the crossing.
According to the Canary Islands’ High Court of Justice, the suspects face charges of eight counts of murder, multiple offences of bodily harm, degrading treatment, failure to render assistance, and crimes against the rights of foreign citizens, including facilitating illegal immigration.
Witness testimonies gathered during the investigation indicate that the victims were selected for execution based on their nationality, which differed from that of the accused.
The La Laguna court took charge of the case as the suspects were arrested in its jurisdiction, specifically at the Las Raíces reception centre, where they had been transferred after arriving in El Hierro. However, the case will soon be handed over to the Court of First Instance and Instruction No. 1 in Valverde, the island’s capital, which will continue the legal proceedings.
These three individuals are among seven suspects arrested by the Civil Guard in late December in connection with the crimes. The investigation was launched following statements from survivors of the journey, who detailed the harrowing events to authorities.
One of the migrants who disembarked in La Restinga required emergency hospitalisation and surgery due to a deep chest wound, suspected to be from a stabbing.
Investigators determined that the vessel initially set sail from Gambia, stopping at the Senegalese island of Bassoul, where most of the passengers boarded.
Three days into the voyage, the boat’s three organisers, responsible for maintaining order on board, allegedly took violent action against several of the migrants. According to the Guardia Civil’s reconstruction of events, one passenger, possibly suffering from the extreme conditions of the journey, experienced a state of disorientation. The organisers blamed him for the group's misfortunes and, along with others who attempted to defend him, he was subjected to severe beatings.
As a warning to the others, the suspects allegedly decided to murder four of the victims. The case remains under judicial investigation as authorities continue to gather evidence and testimonies.
