As the cruise ship Sapphire Princess sailed off the southeastern coast of Spain near the region of Murcia last Wednesday, its crew discovered five bodies in the water. Spanish authorities are now investigating whether the victims had been travelling aboard an overcrowded migrant vessel intercepted earlier that same week, on Monday.
A cruise ship sailing through the western Mediterranean recovered and transported five bodies to the port of Cartagena in southeastern Spain last Wednesday (April 22) after its crew spotted them floating approximately 140 miles (225 kilometers) east of Cabo de Palos in the region of Murcia.
The discovery has prompted a police investigation into whether the deceased were connected to a migrant boat intercepted earlier in the week that already carried three fatalities, according to local media reports.
Crew members of the cruise ship Sapphire Princess raised the alarm after it had departed from Cagliari, in the Italian island of Sardinia. After detecting bodies in the water during the night, the vessel coordinated with maritime rescue services, which deployed resources to recover the remains and search the surrounding area for any additional victims.
Sapphire Princess crew reportedly spotted an orange life jacket in the water and subsequently revised its course and deployed a rescue boat. The cruise did not share any details about the individuals' identity, but confirmed they were neither guests nor crew members.
The bodies were transferred to Cartagena, where forensic and judicial authorities have taken charge of identification efforts. Officials from the central government’s delegation in the region of Murcia confirmed the recovery and said investigations are ongoing to establish the circumstances of the deaths.
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Authorities investigate whether case is connected to earlier migrant boat arrival off Cartagena
The case is being examined alongside another incident that occurred just two days earlier. On April 20, a small migrant boat reached the coast of Cartagena carrying three bodies and two survivors. A French military ship spotted the boat drifting and raised the alarm, and a maritime rescue vessel known as the Salvamar Draco was dispatched to the scene, according to the news outlet Murcia Today.
According to testimony provided by the survivors, the vessel had departed from Algeria with at least 15 people on board, though only five were ultimately accounted for when it arrived.
Authorities are now trying to determine whether the five bodies recovered at sea were among those who had been traveling on the same vessel or whether they belong to a separate incident on the same migration route.
The National Police have confirmed that one of the two survivors from the April 20 arrival has been arrested on suspicion of acting as the boat’s captain, allegedly facilitating an irregular crossing. The second survivor is believed to have been a passenger who paid for passage to Europe. Both were previously treated in hospital for severe dehydration and malnutrition and have since been discharged.
Investigators are also exploring whether other passengers may have died or been forced to abandon the vessel during the journey, a scenario that has been documented in previous Mediterranean crossings under extreme conditions of hunger, thirst, and exposure.
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Boat may have been adrift for three weeks
Citing sources familiar with the investigation, El Pais reported that the crossing between Algeria and the southeastern Spanish coast can typically take less than 24 hours under normal conditions. However, preliminary information suggests the boat involved may have been adrift for up to three weeks, significantly increasing the likelihood of fatalities due to exhaustion and lack of supplies.
On the same day the bodies were recovered, Spain’s Civil Guard intercepted another migrant vessel near Cartagena carrying 24 people, including two minors. All occupants were reported to be in stable condition.
Official figures from Spain’s Interior Ministry indicate that more than 5,000 people have arrived irregularly by sea so far this year up to mid-April, representing a 61.2 percent decrease compared with the same period last year. The ministry has not yet released data broken down by autonomous region.
Authorities continue to work to identify the deceased and determine whether the two maritime incidents are connected, as search and investigative operations remain active in the area.
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