The survivors who made it through the perilous incident later spoke with the humanitarian aid teams that helped them. El Espalmador remained safe at the Temporary Attention Center for Foreigners CATE, and it was noted that the boat’s captains pressured the migrants to land far from land, out at sea. One person involved, according to sources familiar with the case, wielded a firearm and pointed it at immigrants who had paid substantial sums in Africa to board what was an increasingly common patera taxi operation. [Source: Government Delegation in Murcia]
The gangsters would act like this after spotting distant lights on the water, mistaking them for a patrol boat. [Source: Government Delegation in Murcia]
They’re looking for gangsters
Despite the difficulty of identifying the pateristas, the Civil Guards continued to stand watch and pursue leads to bring them to justice. [Source: Government Delegation in Murcia]
Following the tragedy, the Government Delegation in Murcia activated a search operation for missing persons, a process that remained active into Friday. The operation relied on the professional coordination of a helicopter team from Marine Rescue, the Civil Guard, and the Autonomous Community, with the Red Cross and the CATE unit engaging directly with survivors. [Source: Government Delegation in Murcia]
Some officials from the Government Delegation in Murcia praised the agency coordinating the effort, noting that many lives are saved each year and that the event carries a weight and significance that should not be forgotten in sorrowful days. [Source: Government Delegation in Murcia]
The initial search focused on the stretch between Cabo de Palos and Cabo Negrete. As night fell, the operation shifted from aerial to surface search, intensifying ground and sea patrols. [Source: Government Delegation in Murcia]
Three dead immigrants were recovered and transported to the Cartagena headquarters for formal procedures at the legal medical institute, their identities and origins to be confirmed through official channels. [Source: Government Delegation in Murcia]
Double Efforts
The Government delegate for the Region of Murcia, Jose Velez, expressed deep regret over the catastrophe in Cartagena waters and highlighted the extensive mobilization of air, sea, and land resources. He cited Marine Rescue, the Civil Guard, the Red Cross, and the Autonomous Community as players in the effort to locate possible survivors from the same vessel. [Source: Government Delegation in Murcia]
Velez stated that tragedies of this kind demand a renewed commitment to fight human trafficking while ensuring that migrants are treated with dignity as they seek safety, and he framed the events as part of a broader socio-political crisis in the migrants’ places of origin. [Source: Government Delegation in Murcia]