Maritime Rescue rescued a boat with two survivors at dawn 12.68 miles southwest of Mallorca. The occupants had been adrift for 15 days and 17 died during the journey.
Seventeen people have died in waters near Mallorca after the boat they were travelling in drifted for 15 days. The vessel was located by Maritime Rescue at 03:00 hours on Tuesday, August 4, when it was 12.68 nautical miles southwest of the island.
According to data provided by Maritime Rescue to the Government Delegation, there were originally 19 people of Maghreb origin on board the boat. Only two of them, both men, managed to survive and have been urgently transferred to Son Espases University Hospital.
The two survivors were in a critical state of health with severe signs of malnutrition and dehydration due to the time spent on the vessel without food or direction. After being rescued, they told authorities that the rest of the occupants could not withstand the extreme conditions of the journey and died at sea.
The survivors' account has led Maritime Rescue to immediately mobilise a helicopter to search the area near the location of the vessel. Rescue services have also issued a warning to navigators to alert vessels transiting through the affected maritime area.
This new shipwreck again highlights the migratory pressure faced by the archipelago. During the month of July, smuggling gangs set records in the Balearics, with nearly triple the number of immigrants arriving compared to the same month last year, according to data collected by the Government Delegation.
The search operation remains active in the area, while the two survivors remain hospitalised in Son Espases, where they receive specialised medical care due to their delicate condition.
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