Spanish police are investigating more than 20 illegal immigrants over the deaths of more than 70 others reportedly accused of witchcraft.
In early August, a migrant boat carrying around 320 people from the West African coast suffered engine failure and was adrift in the Atlantic Ocean for more than two weeks.
The vessel was rescued on August 24 by Spanish coastguards, with only 248 survivors brought to Arguineguin on Gran Canaria’s southern coast a day later.
According to survivor testimonies, around 70 migrants were allegedly killed during the journey, with their bodies thrown overboard.
Investigators said the boat was stranded en route to Spain and had been adrift for about 15 days when a group of 20 to 30 young passengers, all sub-Saharan Africans, seized control and allegedly killed the 70-odd others in order to survive.
Their deaths reportedly followed disputes over dwindling food and water supplies, with the alleged victims initially accused of stealing resources and later of practicing witchcraft.
Spanish news outlet OkDiario reported that 20 to 30 young sub-Saharan men, now housed in refugee centres in the Canary Islands, were under investigation for allegedly carrying out what it described as “executions”.
Spanish police have made several arrests and the investigation is ongoing, co-ordinated by a court in Gran Canaria.
It remains unclear if women or children were among the alleged victims. The police stated that the exact number of fatalities was still under investigation.
Relatives and friends of those who died are demanding action after learning of the situation via social media.
The Canary Islands have been a magnet for illegal migrants, leading to frustration among the local population.
Fernando Clavijo, President of the Canary Islands, has been critical of the leading political parties in Spain over what he said was their lack of action, saying the archipelago felt “abandoned”.
Spain has pursued open-border policies under the current progressive government, with Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez claiming the country needed migrants. That has led to a sharp rise in migration, including illegal migration.
In 2024 the government announced the country was set to legalise 300,000 undocumented migrants per year through 2027 under new regulations.
Spain has seen several nights of ethnic violence between locals and migrant communities after an elderly Spaniard was attacked. https://t.co/Vtvpte3Pp5
— Brussels Signal (@brusselssignal) July 14, 2025
