Palma yacht arrest: Four months’ work for €480

In Palma, Mallorca, police have arrested a man after a yacht stewardess said she received just €480 for four months’ work. Spain’s National Police reported the arrest on 11 October 2026. The woman accused her employer of assaulting her and leaving her without enough food.

She said she was owed €17,500 but received only small amounts for basic needs, not regular wages. On some days, constant demands for work left her with no more than four hours’ sleep. She also reported degrading treatment. At times, she said, there was so little food aboard that she ate just half a sandwich.

The woman suffered carbon monoxide poisoning caused by faults on the yacht, according to her account. It put her life at serious risk and left her partly deaf for a time. She left the yacht, reported what had happened and returned to her home country.

Investigators also found irregularities in the yacht’s operation. Its GPS (AIS) tracking system was switched off, and police found problems with crew records and border checks.

Topics: Police · Arrests · Jobs & labour · Palma

Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com