Boatwreck off the coast of Mallorca leaves one fatality and one severe injury among the 20 passengers
In a distressing turn of events, emergency services were activated at 15:30 on Wednesday for the rescue of a foundered boat in the waters of Mallorca. The shipwreck, located at 13:55 hours, about five kilometers south of the island, claimed one life, while another man was seriously injured.
According to reports, the boat was carrying more than 20 migrants, most of whom are of Maghrebi and sub-Saharan origin. Six boats with 75 migrants on board have arrived in the Balearic Islands over the weekend, bringing the total number of arrivals this year to over 4,430.
The Provincial Maritime Service, the Air Service, Maritime Rescue, and HELIMER were activated due to a man's testimony about the shipwreck. In the subsequent operation, 19 people are reported alive, including a man rescued from the sea by a private boat at 10:30 in the morning.
However, three migrants are missing, having abandoned the boat to swim towards the coast. Regrettably, the three missing persons are not identified in the provided search results.
The increasing migratory pressure in the Balearic Islands is a cause for concern. Compared to the rest of Spain, migratory pressure has increased by 77%. In 2024, 5,882 migrants arrived irregularly by sea in the Balearic Islands, which is three times more than in 2023.
In response to this situation, a meeting between the Balearic president and the four island councils is scheduled for this Thursday to address the situation in the archipelago. The rescued people have been handed over to the National Police in Palma.
Our thoughts are with the families affected by this tragic event. The search for the missing migrants continues.
