Tenerife Migrant Boat Trial: Four Accused After Up To 22 Deaths
Four individuals, including a minor reportedly tried as an adult, face trial in Santa Cruz de Tenerife for allegedly steering a migrant boat from Africa with over 200 people, a journey that resulted in at least two confirmed deaths and reports of many more lost at sea.
A trial is taking place in Santa Cruz de Tenerife involving four people accused of steering a migrant boat, known as a cayuco, from the African coast with over 200 people on board. One of the accused is a minor, but his lawyer states he is being prosecuted as an adult. His passport and genetic tests, which aimed to prove his age, have reportedly not been considered. For him, and the other three defendants, prosecutors are seeking a total sentence of up to 15 years each, amounting to 60 years in total. The charges include a crime against the rights of foreign citizens, two counts of negligent homicide, and two counts of negligent injury.
The boat set off from an unknown location on the African coast. After ten days at sea, it was intercepted by a rescue vessel. The 205 people on board were then transferred to the port of Los Cristianos.
When the cayuco arrived at the port in Tenerife, a tragic discovery was made: the lifeless body of a young person, believed to be around 13 years old, was found at the bottom of the boat. The journey had been so difficult that another migrant, who was admitted to hospital, later died from severe brain damage (encephalopathy).
However, the tragedy was far greater than these two deaths. Statements from the boat's occupants revealed that between 12 and 20 people who started the journey from Africa died during the trip and were thrown overboard at sea.
During police questioning, the migrants identified several individuals as the alleged captains or skippers of the cayuco. They pointed to four fellow travelers who reportedly managed the boat, distributed food and water, and gave instructions. All four were arrested and imprisoned. Among them is the minor whose lawyer says his legal situation "has not been reviewed," despite several appeals.
Legal sources also report that one of the accused has been declared absent from the trial because he could not be found. Additionally, a hearing scheduled for yesterday was postponed after one of the defense lawyers failed to appear, claiming an "error" in the notification. The case is expected to continue today.