For the death of two immigrants when they arrived to Formentera in a skiff, a criminal investigation has been opened and in the next few hours there may be judicial developments.
As confirmed by the Government Delegation in the Balearic Islands to La Voz de Ibiza, there is “areport open and is awaiting the proceedings of the courts. For his part, Alfonso Rodríguez Badal, the delegate of the Spanish government in the Balearic Islands, said that “it is another example of the harshness of this journey that migrants often take. It is clear that when they risk their lives at sea it is because they leave behind something worse“. In declarations to the Spanish Television, he detailed that “last Saturday Salvamento Marítimo, before the sighting of a skiff in difficulties, went to save the members of the boat, being able to save 11 of the occupants. Unfortunately, two died and one was seriously injured”. In addition, he said to be “waiting for the attestation to be confirmed today surely in court”.
How the events occurred
At about 16:00 hours on Saturday, a boat in trouble was detected. Therefore, Salvamento Marítimo and a plane of the air service of the Guardia Civil began a rescue operation in the waters of the Balearic archipelago, after locating a skiff with 13 immigrants of Maghrebi origin near Formentera. The Helimer, a Salvamento Marítimo helicopter, transferred one injured person in critical condition to the Hospital Can Misses in Ibiza, accompanied by the body of one of the two deceased in the tragedy, according to the Government Delegation in the Balearic Islands. The rest of the occupants were taken by the vessel Naos to the port of Ibiza, where they received attention.