At least 18 migrants who were travelling aboard the skiff that, as Diario de Ibiza exclusively reported on Wednesday, was intercepted south of Cabrera, are missing. The only five passengers who were rescued confirmed to Maritime Rescue personnel that the boat had set sail from the Algerian coast with 23 people on board.
An NGO that collaborates with Spanish institutions had raised the alarm after a migrant boat failed to reach any destination. Emergency protocols were immediately activated and, after a Frontex aircraft spotted the vessel adrift, Salvamento Marítimo deployed the Guardamar Concepción Arenal, which headed to the area to rescue the migrants. The skiff was located 40 miles south of the island of Cabrera.
According to the Government Delegation in the Balearic Islands, the five survivors say they had been drifting at sea for at least a week. During this time —including storms and low temperatures— the remaining 18 people threw themselves into the water for reasons that remain unknown, as does whether they were already lifeless when they did so.
Diario de Ibiza had already reported on Wednesday the possibility that there were fatalities as a result of the skiff’s crossing. For two reasons.
For the full article, please visit Diario de Ibiza website here.