Two men in Tenerife have been released after being accused of transporting migrants by boat.
In Tenerife, a court has released two men accused of steering a boat carrying 51 migrants from Africa due to conflicting evidence, despite the prosecution's request for a 5-year prison sentence for them.
In Tenerife, a court has acquitted two men who were accused of being the captains of a boat that arrived on the island of El Hierro on February 8, 2024. The trial took place on September 15.
There were 51 people on the boat, including two children. All of them are from Mali, Mauritania, and Senegal. The court's decision will be announced on October 6.
Prosecutors had requested a 5-year prison sentence for each of the accused for aiding illegal migrants. They believe that the men were captains at the direction of the organizers of the human trafficking.
The lawyers, however, insisted on acquittal, arguing that the evidence and testimonies were contradictory.
During the trial, some passengers identified the accused as those who distributed food, maintained order, and steered the boat. Others were not sure.
The boat on which the people arrived was a fishing boat and was not suitable for such a journey. It lacked the necessary safety equipment, navigation lights, radar, or communication. Prosecutors emphasized that this created a great danger.
The journey lasted about five days until they were assisted by the Maritime Rescue Service.
The men were detained immediately upon arrival on the island and held in custody in a Tenerife prison until September 16.