The two captains of a boat that arrived in Formentera face 14 years in prison

FormenteraThe Second Section of the Provincial Court of Palma will hold a preliminary hearing this Friday, starting at 9:30 a.m., in the trial of two men accused of captaining a boat that reached the coast of Formentera last June. The prosecution is requesting a seven-year prison sentence for each of the defendants, whom it accuses of a crime against the rights of foreign citizens. According to the indictment, the boat set sail in the early hours of June 19 from the coast of Tipassa, Algeria, and arrived in Formentera around 4:00 p.m. the following day. There were 16 people on board, two of them minors, who allegedly paid between 6,000 and 8,000 euros for the journey. The prosecutor argues that the lives of the occupants were seriously endangered during the crossing, as the boat did not meet the minimum maritime safety requirements and lacked any lifesaving equipment. During the journey, one of the defendants was in charge of operating the engine with the aid of a GPS device, while the other was responsible for refueling from the fifteen 30-liter jerrycans of gasoline they carried on board. Furthermore, the prosecution emphasizes that neither of the defendants possessed the knowledge or training necessary to navigate this type of vessel.