At least 5 bodies with shackled hands and feet have been spotted floating in the Balearic Sea
A major investigation has begun after several bodies with shackled hands and feet were spotted floating in the sea at a popular Spanish holiday destination.
It is reported that at least 5 bodies have been recovered by the Civil Guard in the Balearic Sea off Mallorca, sparking speculation of murder.
The bodies are believed to belong to migrants who attempted to reach Spain from Algeria.
The Civil Guard speculates that the suspected migrants might have been confronted, handcuffed and then thrown into the sea.
Due to the migrants being shackled, the cases will be treated as murder.
The bodies were discovered over the last month, but authorities have failed to address the incident to the public. One of the bodies was reported to have been discovered over a month ago on May 18 at around 5 pm.
It was a private Belgian-flagged vessel sailing in waters west of Formentera who spotted a body floating in the sea.
After receiving the warning, a patrol boat of the Civil Guard Río Segura scrambled to the scene, which despite being based in the Canary Islands had moved to the Balearic Islands to carry out patrol services.
When the Civil Guards recovered the body they noticed that the man’s hands and feet were shackled and that he was wearing an orange life jacket.
The body was later examined by Civil Guard agents and a forensic doctor in an attempt to identify the circumstances of death.
A few days later another body was found in similar circumstances, also in the waters of Formentera. The same situation repeated itself over the last few weeks. At least five bodies have been found in total, all with their feet and hands tied, floating in different parts of the water of the Balearic Islands.
All bodies are presumed to have belonged to migrants who were travelling by boat.
The procedure for violent deaths has been activated.
The Balearics have registered one of the highest concentrations of arrivals of boats in recent times. Security forces and Maritime Rescue teams have intercepted and rescued a total of 344 people trying to reach the mainland in hazardous boats between June 20th and June 22nd.
On Friday, June 20th, 195 people were reported, while on Saturday, June 21st, 106 were counted and on Sunday, June 22nd, another 39.
The situation is causing a wave of shock as decomposed bodies have been washing up on beaches.
