An officer from the Spanish Customs Surveillance Service has died while attempting to board a drug-laden sailboat near Canary Islands
A 58-year-old officer of the Customs Surveillance Service in Spain has died as he was trying to board a sailboat suspected of trafficking drugs.
The tragic incident took place approximately 700 miles west of the Canary Islands as the officer, along with his team were going to inspect this sailing boat in Atlantic waters on Saturday, March 18, as per El Periodico.
Sources from the Tax Agency said that an auxiliary vessel of the Special Operations Vessel ‘Fulmar’ had docked to check the sailboat suspected of transporting narcotics.
The incident happened in the morning and as the officers tried to approach the sail boat, their vessel capsized.
As per official reports, the suspects onboard the sailboat then set fire to the boat and sank it before escaping.
One of the officers was killed when their boat capsized and the Spanish tax agency stated that “after several attempts to revive their colleague, the officers of the auxiliary vessel informed the central services about the death of the agent”.
Sources have revealed that the vessel Fulmar is now on its way with the body of the deceased officer.
Four crew members of drug-laden sailing boat were also later arrested and are now being taken to the port of Melilla, where the officer’s family residence is located.
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