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Spanish police detained a group of 19 suspected of homicide and brutal abuse following over fifty people disappeared from a vessel sailing from West Africa to the Spanish archipelago.

Investigators suspect some passengers were labeled of being "witches" following several events during the voyage, including mechanical issues, bad weather, and lack of supplies.

The wooden vessel was intercepted off the coast of the Canary Islands on August 24 with 248 people on board, as stated by law enforcement.

But, authorities estimate that approximately 300 individuals were originally aboard, and that some were pushed into the sea.

Survivors reported to police that a number of their fellow passengers started "attacking many of people, striking and mistreating them in various ways," an official report said.

"On several occasions, they forced passengers into the sea alive and refused to save those who ended up in the water inadvertently."

Alleged killings were also recorded "simply because certain individuals protested or expressed their dissatisfaction with the conditions of the voyage," authorities said.

One man died in hospital after being discovered in critical condition when the boat was located, according to reports.

Passengers included people from Senegal, Guinea, Mali, Gambian, Sierra Leone, and Bissau-Guinean nationalities, local media stated.

All 19 suspects are in custody facing aiding illegal migration, homicide, physical violence, and severe abuse.

Spain is one of the primary entry points for unauthorized entry into Europe, with most arriving via the Atlantic islands.

Almost 47,000 migrants reached the archipelago in 2024, marking an all-time high for a second year, but figures have been significantly reduced in recent months, as indicated by official data.