The captain of a boat detained on November 28th 2024 in waters near Alicante’s port was sentenced to three years in jail by the Alicante Court’s Third Section.
The defendant, who lacked a licence to certify his knowledge of vessel control, was found guilty of a crime against the rights of foreign citizens, according to the Superior Court of Justice of the Valencian Community (TSJCV).
The court found that the skipper set sail from Tipasa (Algeria) to Spain on November 25th, 2024, with an outboard motor and no life-saving equipment, in exchange for a financial benefit.
On board were 12 additional male migrants who had paid to go before embarking unidentified individuals in Algerian dinars, which are equivalent to about 2,000 euros. The boat drifted and was discovered on November 28th by a fishing boat in waters near the port of Alicante. The occupants were rescued by Maritime Rescue.
According to the ruling, the three-day voyage, which lasted approximately 168 nautical miles, created “a situation of danger/risk to the life and physical integrity” of the occupants until their rescue because it occurred in “circumstances of navigation with strong waves, in overcrowded conditions, lacking minimum safety standards.”
Author: Derek Appleton
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