A defendant involved in the operation of a Cayuco, who was brought to the port of Los Cristianos in Arona (Tenerife) on December 1, 2023, has agreed to serve a three-year prison term, reduced from the five years sought by the Prosecutor’s Office.
The individual has been in provisional custody since the day following the arrival of the vessel, having been identified by multiple passengers as the person responsible for overseeing the crossing.
The plea agreement was reached on Monday at the Provincial Court of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, and it also entails that the migrant will be unable to regularise their status in the country for the next five years.
The Public Ministry holds that the defendant aimed to illegally transport 10 other men of sub-Saharan origin, taking charge of a small fishing boat.
The Cayuco departed at night towards the end of November 2023, aiming for the Canary Islands. It was detected after approximately five days at sea, prompting a rescue patrol to tow it to the port of arrival, where assistance was provided to the passengers.
The defendant admits to having organised the journey in collaboration with other unknown individuals, initially charging travellers between 250,000 and 300,000 Uguiyas, which is roughly 6,000 euros.
Once aboard, the defendant was responsible for navigating and captaining the trip, determining the positioning of the passengers, issuing orders and behavioural guidelines, and discouraging them from testifying against him upon reaching the Spanish shores.
The vessel was a fibre-reinforced Cayuco, reliant on an engine for propulsion and lacking safety measures, rendering it unsuitable for the oceanic route from the African coast to the islands due to its inherent characteristics.
The Prosecutor’s Office deems that there was a significant risk to human lives of which the accused was aware.
