Abandoned Boat Found Off Tenerife Coast Sparks Investigation into Maritime Trafficking
Authorities in Tenerife are investigating a rigid-hulled inflatable boat discovered off the coast of Güímar, which is suspected of being used for illicit activities and currently poses a navigational hazard.
A rigid-hulled inflatable boat discovered off the coast of Güímar, in southeast Tenerife, has drawn fresh attention to the ongoing use of maritime routes for illegal activities in the Canary Islands. Local police found the vessel last Tuesday, prompting a joint surveillance operation with Maritime Rescue due to concerns that it was used for drug trafficking or irregular immigration.
The condition of the boat’s hull suggests it has been underwater for some time. Drone footage shows significant biological growth, which marine experts estimate indicates the vessel has been submerged for one to three months. This suggests the boat may have drifted from elsewhere before surfacing just 50 meters off the Tenerife coast, leading authorities to investigate its origin and recent path.
Beyond the criminal investigation, emergency services are focused on the safety risk the wreckage poses to local navigation. While officials plan to remove the boat—either by towing it or extracting it from the shore—poor weather conditions through Wednesday afternoon have delayed these efforts. Clearing the wreckage is a priority, both to protect the coastline and to aid the ongoing investigation into the use of high-speed vessels by trafficking networks in the region.