Authorities have developed a theory regarding the recent discovery of five bodies that were found shackled and floating off the coast of Majorca, Spain.
An investigation is now underway to determine the identities of the deceased and the circumstances of their deaths. Given that the bodies were discovered with their hands and feet bound, murder is a key line of inquiry for the officers involved.
The bodies were retrieved by the Civil Guard in the Balearic Sea, and it is believed that the individuals were migrants attempting to reach the Spanish coast from Algeria by boat.
This particular maritime route is notorious for its danger and has previously resulted in loss of life.
While bodies have occasionally been found washed ashore, these individuals were uniquely discovered with their limbs bound.
The bodies were located over a span of a month in various locations. According to the Express, the first body was recovered on May 18, while another was found ‘a few days later’ in the waters near Formentera.
The investigation aims to clarify the circumstances surrounding these deaths.
The Civil Guard in the Balearic Islands suspects that an altercation may have occurred among the migrants during their journey, resulting in some being handcuffed and cast into the sea, as reported by LBC.
Earlier this year, the Balearic Government Delegation reported that 31 bodies had been recovered from beaches and seas in the Balearic Islands between January and June.
Due to the absence of DNA evidence, documents, and the state of decomposition of the bodies, authorities find it nearly ‘impossible’ to identify the individuals.
UNILAD has reached out to Spain’s Civil Guard for a comment.
In 2024, Spain launched a three-year program aimed at issuing residency and work permits to 300,000 undocumented migrants, with the intention of bolstering the ‘ageing’ workforce, according to AP.
Spain’s Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, refers to the government’s migration policies as a strategy to tackle the nation’s low birthrate.
In August last year, Sánchez visited three West African countries to discuss migration to Spain’s Canary Islands.
Men from countries like Mali, Senegal, and Mauritania, as well as other regions, often embark on perilous sea journeys in search of better employment and economic prospects, while sometimes escaping violence or political unrest in their home nations.
From January 1 to November 15 of 2024, over 54,000 migrants entered Spain irregularly, marking an increase of 15.8% from the previous year, as per data from the Spanish Ministry of Interior.