Spanish authorities have opened a homicide investigation following the grim discovery of several dead migrants in the Mediterranean Sea, their hands and feet bound, police confirmed on Monday.
While the majority of migrants heading for Europe via Spain typically attempt the longer but increasingly trafficked route across the Atlantic to the Canary Islands, hundreds still brave the shorter, though perilous, journey from North Africa to the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean.
According to regional newspaper Diario de Mallorca, at least five bodies have been found since mid-May by Civil Guard patrol vessels, all with their limbs tied.
Investigators cited in the report believe the victims may have been restrained and thrown overboard during the crossing, possibly as a result of a dispute with the people smugglers facilitating the journey.
A spokesperson for the Civil Guard told AFP that authorities are treating the deaths as suspected homicide as they work to identify the victims and determine the exact circumstances surrounding their deaths.
Speaking to local media, Balearic regional president Marga Prohens condemned the discovery as a stark reminder of “the cruellest side” of irregular migration routes.
The Mediterranean has long been a dangerous corridor for migrants seeking to reach Europe, with many falling victim to exploitation, violence, and fatal accidents during the crossing.
The latest findings underscore the extreme risks faced by those desperate to escape conflict, poverty, or persecution in search of a better life.
