A total of 20 migrants, including an 11-month-old baby, have arrived in Alicante and Santa Pola in recent days aboard two precarious vessels, leading to the arrest of two suspected boat captains.
The first boat was located on Sunday afternoon, 28th June, near the lighthouse in Santa Pola. The vessel carried six men, one woman, and three minors. Members of the Guardia Civil transferred the group to the port of Alicante. Following investigations, the National Police arrested two men on board after identifying them as the captains of the boat. On Tuesday, 30th June, the two detainees appeared before a duty judge in Alicante, who ordered their provisional imprisonment following testimony from a protected witness.
The second vessel was spotted more than 60 miles southeast of Alicante by a merchant ship, which raised the alarm. The Maritime Rescue vessel Salvamar Leo, based in Alicante, launched a rescue operation and brought 14 migrants safely to shore, including 12 men, one woman, and an 11-month-old baby. The group arrived at the port of Alicante on Tuesday afternoon, where the National Police opened an investigation to identify and arrest the individuals responsible for piloting the boat from Algeria.
