Spanish police have arrested 19 people on suspicion of murder and torture after at least 50 migrants were allegedly beaten, shot and thrown overboard during a nightmare Atlantic crossing to the Canary Islands, with survivors claiming the killers accused their victims of witchcraft when the overcrowded vessel suffered engine problems.
The mass executions at sea emerged after 248 survivors were rescued from a drifting wooden cayuco off the African coast on 24 August and brought ashore at Arguineguín on Gran Canaria’s southern coast the following day. Witnesses told investigators that fellow passengers were murdered and thrown into the ocean during what Spanish authorities are calling one of the most horrific incidents in recent migration history.
Spain’s National Police confirmed on Wednesday that all 19 suspects, comprising 16 Senegalese nationals and one Gambian, have been remanded in custody after appearing before a judge at a court in San Bartolomé de Tirajana in Gran Canaria. The force released dramatic footage of the handcuffed suspects being hauled onto buses from refugee reception centres where they had initially been housed alongside other survivors.
The investigation points to the 65-foot wooden vessel having left Senegal with approximately 300 people on board, meaning at least 50 migrants died or disappeared during the 11-day journey across treacherous Atlantic waters. Spanish Coastguard vessel Guardamar Urania discovered the boat adrift 265 miles from the Canaries after Moroccan authorities said they were unable to assist with the rescue.
Witchcraft Accusations Sparked Killings
According to witness testimony gathered by investigators, the deaths were allegedly linked to superstitious beliefs that identified certain passengers as “witches” when the vessel encountered difficulties including engine failures, food shortages and adverse weather conditions. Survivors described a wave of violence that erupted as supplies dwindled during the crossing.
“The causes of these deaths, according to the witness testimony gathered, is that they are allegedly related to superstitions that identified as ‘witches’ certain people on the boat when incidents occurred during the crossing,” a National Police spokesman said. Likewise homicides have been documented for the simple reason that some people protested or showed their inconformity with the travel conditions.
Witnesses told police that several of the arrested migrants not only piloted the cayuco but systematically assaulted dozens of passengers, beating and torturing them in various ways. In some cases, victims were thrown alive into the ocean whilst the alleged perpetrators refused to help those who accidentally fell overboard.
The police spokesman added: “The witnesses point to the disappearance of around 30 people thrown overboard, although investigators calculate more than 50 people died or disappeared on the basis that the cayuco left Senegal with around 300 people on board.”
Systematic Violence During Crossing
Judicial sources told Spanish outlet OkDiario that between 20 and 30 young sub-Saharan men aboard the vessel conspired to kill fellow passengers during the 15-day voyage. The killings reportedly began after disputes over food and water supplies, with theft accusations initially used to justify attacks before the suspects turned to witchcraft allegations.
One migrant died in hospital after arriving gravely ill, bringing the confirmed death toll from the journey to at least 51. Investigators said groups of young men carried out the murders in an attempt to assert control over the vessel and preserve dwindling resources for themselves.
The investigation is being conducted by the Border Police Force (BPEF) of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and officers from the General Commissariat of Immigration and Borders, as part of Operation Triton, which specialises in combating irregular immigration networks. Four survivors have been placed under protection as key witnesses in the case.
It remains unclear whether women or children were among the victims, though authorities have not ruled out this possibility. Spanish prosecutors could seek life sentences for those convicted, subject to review under Spanish law.
Atlantic Route Claims Thousands of Lives
The incident highlights the extreme dangers of the Atlantic migration route from West Africa to Spain’s Canary Islands, known as the “Western Route.” This treacherous journey features powerful ocean currents and frequently claims lives when overcrowded vessels encounter storms or mechanical problems far from land.
In recent years, thousands of migrants have died or gone missing attempting the crossing. The route has become increasingly popular as European authorities have cracked down on Mediterranean passages, despite the Atlantic journey being significantly more perilous.
Fernando Clavijo, President of the Canary Islands, has criticised Spain’s major political parties for their lack of action on migration, saying the archipelago feels “abandoned” as arrivals continue to surge. The islands have become a magnet for irregular migration, leading to frustration amongst local populations.
Rising Violence in Canary Islands
The arrests come as violent crime surges across the Canary Islands. According to statistics published by Spain’s Ministry of the Interior and cited by La Razón, homicides on the archipelago soared by 400 per cent in the first quarter of 2025 compared to 2024. Attempted murders and sexual assaults have also risen significantly during the same period.
The investigation into the cayuco murders represents a potential legal precedent for Spanish courts. Whilst Spanish law typically restricts jurisdiction to crimes committed on national territory or by Spanish citizens, prosecutors argue that murders during migration journeys are directly connected to people trafficking offences, enabling Spanish courts to prosecute foreign nationals for crimes committed in international waters.
A similar case is already before courts in El Hierro, where prosecutors have charged cayuco skippers with murder following witness accounts of torture, stabbings and passengers being thrown alive overboard during crossings in late 2024. In one incident, seven people including a baby were allegedly murdered, whilst an eighth person threw himself into the sea in panic.
Previous Maritime Tragedies
This is not the first instance of violence during desperate attempts to reach Europe by sea. In June, Spanish police launched an investigation after five Somali migrants were found dead in waters off the Balearic Islands with their hands and feet bound.
The families later revealed the men had been shackled in a death ritual after perishing from starvation during their journey. The vessel had left Algeria a fortnight earlier before being left adrift following engine problems, with survivors reporting they had been reduced to eating one date per day and drinking their own urine.
One survivor had resorted to eating toothpaste, refusing to let go of the tube even after reaching dry land, according to Red Cross officials. The men whose bodies were recovered from the Mediterranean had fatally opted to drink seawater in desperation.
The Canary Islands route has seen multiple incidents of extreme violence aboard migrant vessels. In February 2025, Civil Guard investigations revealed that crew members on some boats were not merely hired to navigate and distribute provisions but to enforce order through extreme violence, using machetes, cables fashioned into whips, and animal hide belts.
As investigations continue into the August crossing, relatives and friends of those who died are demanding action after learning of the tragedy through social media. The case has reignited debate about Spain’s immigration policies under Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s progressive government, which has pursued open-border policies whilst claiming the country needs migrants.
The 19 suspects are being investigated on suspicion of people trafficking, homicide, wounding and torture. If convicted of murder, they could face sentences of up to life imprisonment under Spanish law.
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