Formentera boat rescue: man faces six years in jail
Responsible for this content: Frank Menze
Fourteen people spend 32 hours at sea: prosecutors seek six years in prison for a man accused of steering their boat from Algeria towards Formentera. The boat was rescued 39 miles south of the island on 29 May. The Provincial Court of the Balearic Islands is due to hold a pre-trial hearing on Wednesday 7 October at 09.40.
Prosecutors say the makeshift boat carried more people than its maximum capacity, putting those aboard at risk of shipwreck. They accuse the man of directing, steering and refuelling it, but acknowledge that he paid about €4,250 to make the crossing himself. He is accused of an offence against the rights of foreign nationals.
Topics: Court cases · Sea rescue · Migration · Politics
Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com