Canary Islands Court Confirms Seven-Year Sentence for Human Traffickers
Overview of the Case
The Superior Court of Justice of the Canary Islands (TSJC) has upheld a seven-year prison sentence for three crew members of a dinghy that reached El Hierro on 24 June 2024, carrying 47 occupants, including two minors. Tragically, one migrant died of dehydration during the crossing. The court confirmed the December 2025 ruling from the Provincial Court of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, which convicted the three defendants for offences against the rights of foreign citizens, reckless injury, and manslaughter.
Inadequate Vessel
According to the ruling, the defendants “jointly agreed to navigate a precarious vessel” and enabled the entry of the occupants into national territory while avoiding a designated port border checkpoint. The court emphasises that the journey started with full awareness of the severe shortage of food and water, overcrowding, and structural deficiencies of the boat. The TSJC determined that these circumstances created a situation of grave risk to the life, health, and physical integrity of those on board. In fact, upon arrival at port, the body of one migrant was found, who had died from multi-organ failure resulting from dehydration.
Hospital Admissions
The ruling also establishes that two survivors required emergency admission to the Hospital Nuestra Señora de los Reyes. One was treated for dehydration, hypothermia, mild hypernatremia, and rhabdomyolysis, alongside injuries and long-term effects, while the other was attended for severe constipation.
Rejection of Defence Appeals
The court dismissed the appeals lodged by the defence, rejecting claims of procedural nullity, infringement of the right to defence, or lack of an interpreter. The judges noted that the defendants had legal representation and translation during their statements and hearings, without raising any objections at the appropriate procedural moment. Moreover, the court ruled that the police investigation and identification procedures were valid, affirming the reliability of the actions taken and the subsequent verification of identifications in court.
Evidence Considerations
The TSJC also dismissed claims of insufficient evidence, concluding that there was “sufficient substantive evidence.” The ruling asserted that the assessment conducted by the Provincial Court was “accurate” and supported by witness testimonies, expert evidence, medical documentation, and statements from the intervening officers, all established under cross-examination during the trial. In particular, the court endorsed the forensic conclusion regarding the cause of death of the occupant found deceased in the vessel and affirmed the injuries sustained by one of the survivors.
