The Local Immigration and Borders Brigade of Puerto del Rosario, in Fuerteventura, has apprehended three individuals. They are accused of a crime against the rights of foreign citizens, specifically for facilitating illegal immigration under circumstances that posed a serious danger to the lives of the occupants.
The investigation began on April 5, 2026, after Maritime Rescue saved a drifting inflatable boat with 43 migrants. The vessel was located in waters near the island of Fuerteventura, as reported by the National Police this Friday.
Police inquiries revealed that the boat had departed on April 4 from a point in Africa. The 43 migrants were transported on a high-risk night journey to Spanish territory. Agents confirmed the existence of an organized structure, composed of the now-detained individuals, who operated in a coordinated manner with clearly differentiated roles.
One of the arrested was responsible for piloting the boat, another for navigation using geolocation devices and controlling the occupants, and the third for guarding the fuel and refueling the engine. The vessel, a zodiac approximately seven meters long, lacked any type of safety measures or mandatory equipment, such as lighting systems, communication devices, or life jackets.
The vessel used, a zodiac approximately seven meters long, lacked any type of safety measures or mandatory equipment, such as lighting systems, communication devices, or life jackets.
Furthermore, the boat was severely overloaded, far exceeding its capacity and creating a situation of extreme overcrowding. The journey took place under especially dangerous conditions, with no visibility, water, or food, and exposed to adverse weather, which led to cases of hypothermia and dehydration among the occupants.
During navigation, the boat began to take on water, forcing the migrants themselves to bail continuously for more than eight hours to prevent it from sinking. The police operation, supported by witness statements and audiovisual evidence, culminated in the arrest of the three suspects on April 9 in Puerto del Rosario. The detainees have been brought before the judicial authority, which ordered their provisional imprisonment, communicated and without bail.
