The tragic story of the migrants on a boat that arrived in Alicante: five dead during the crossing

Another tragic incident at sea. A boat containing 20 young people has been found on the high seas off Javea after being adrift for 14 days. The migrants were rescued in a state of extreme frailty, and they revealed that five of their comrades died during the difficult voyage, according to the Red Cross. Their remains were supposedly tossed overboard.

A leisure yacht discovered the dinghy 34 miles southeast of Cabo de la Nao, prompting the Valencia Rescue Coordination Centre (CCS) to deploy the Salvamar Fénix. According to Salvamento Marítimo, the vessel rescued 15 adults, one lady, and four youngsters. One of them required medical help and was sent to Alicante for treatment by medical professionals.

The Red Cross has confirmed that it is caring for a total of 20 people of Sub-Saharan origin, three of whom are women. According to preliminary evaluations, all of them are young persons, four of them are minors.

According to the organisation, “They are in a state of extreme weakness, with dehydration, burns and injuries, and in some cases, considerable disorientation.”

As a result, “two transfers to the hospital have been made so far by ambulance from the Red Cross and the Emergency Medical Service (SAMU),” and the Red Cross has indicated that they have been adrift for approximately 14 days, informing medical teams that five people died.

Imprisoned bosses

Concerning the entrance of small boats, last month an Alicante court imprisoned two people captured by the National Police as captains of the last two vessels intercepted off the Alicante coast, one of which had a deceased migrant on board.

A 20-year-old Nigerian man was arrested for piloting a boat rescued by Salvamento Marítimo in May, 62 miles off Alicante. The migrants, aged between 15 and 27, were in terrible health after being stranded for almost two weeks. Only 16 of the 21 persons who set sail from Algeria for the Balearic Islands were rescued, including one of the two skippers, who was arrested by Group III of the Unit against Immigration Networks and Document Forgery (UCRIF) in Alicante.

UCRIF investigators discovered that, throughout the voyage, the bodies of four additional migrants were tossed into the sea, including those of another captain sent by the organisation alongside the now-imprisoned one. The fifth victim’s body remained on the boat when the Maritime Rescue Service recovered him.

On board the other side, one of the 14 migrants rescued 40 miles off Alicante aboard another boat intercepted last Sunday was apprehended as the vessel’s commander and appeared in court on Monday, where he was also ordered to be remanded in custody.