Three Men Arrested After Woman Allegedly Gang Raped on Migrant Dinghy During Atlantic Crossing
The incident occurred at sea last week, and three suspects have been detained by Spanish police.
Three men have been arrested by Spanish police after a woman reported being gang-raped on a migrant dinghy during an Atlantic crossing last week.
The suspects, aged 21, 25, and 30, were detained after the vessel reached Lanzarote on September 16, assisted by a Spanish coastguard rescue. The alleged assault is reported to have occurred at high sea on an inflatable dinghy.
A witness also came forward to police and provided a statement, confirming they had seen the alleged sex attack. The incident took place on the same day that 65 survivors were rescued from an inflatable boat and three bodies were recovered from the water.
Authorities believe those on board the dinghy were sub-Saharan migrants who departed from Tan-Tan in southwestern Morocco. Survivors reported to authorities in Arrecife, the capital of Lanzarote, that an additional 10 people had gone overboard during the crossing and that they had run out of water during the latter part of their five-day journey.
Non-governmental organizations assisting the migrants after their arrival on European soil have indicated that the number of missing individuals could be around 14, potentially bringing the total death toll for that day to 17.
Some individuals reportedly ended up in the sea during the rescue operation due to panic among the boat's occupants as Spanish coastguard vessels, Salvamar Al Nair and Salvamar Acrux, attempted to assist them.
A spokesperson for the National Police stated that officers in Arrecife arrested the three men as alleged perpetrators of a multiple sexual assault. The incident occurred at sea, believed to be in international waters.
Upon arrival at the port of Arrecife, the victim informed rescue services of the assault. Given her serious health condition, resources were activated to provide initial assistance, and she subsequently received specialized care as a victim at police premises. The investigation has been led by officers from the National Police's Family and Women's Assistance Unit.
The three detainees have been remanded in prison following their court appearance. Their nationalities have not yet been revealed. An investigating judge is overseeing a criminal probe to determine whether to recommend formal charges.
Spanish coastguards had previously reported that the Las Palmas Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre coordinated the rescue of 82 sub-Saharan individuals. The Salvamar Al Nair vessel rescued 63 people and recovered three bodies, with one person in critical condition evacuated by helicopter. Subsequently, the Salvamar Acrux vessel rescued an additional 19 people.
Following disembarkation at Puerto Naos in Arrecife, the final tally confirmed 68 sub-Saharan individuals assisted: Salvamar Al Nair rescued 49 people (41 men, 4 women, and 3 deceased), and Salvamar Acrux rescued 19 people (15 men and 4 women).
This incident follows other investigations into alleged assaults on migrant vessels. In September of the previous year, police investigated a reported double rape on board a migrant boat that reached Ibiza, involving two minors who claimed sexual assault by two men during a crossing from Africa.
Additionally, around the same time last year, police in Gran Canaria were investigating allegations that at least 50 migrants were tortured and thrown overboard from a vessel after being accused of witchcraft. Witnesses ashore claimed to have seen fellow migrants beaten and shot after people smugglers aboard the boat made accusations when the vessel experienced engine problems and food shortages. Subsequent reports indicated that 17 men were arrested and remanded in custody by a Spanish judge probing these allegations.