Spanish authorities have launched a criminal investigation after several bound and lifeless bodies were pulled from the Balearic Sea in recent weeks.
The grisly discoveries, confirmed Monday by the Guardia Civil, have raised suspicions of foul play during the perilous migrant crossings from Algeria to the islands.
At least five corpses, thought to be victims of murder, have been retrieved by patrol boats over the past month, according to a report published by Diario de Mallorca.
They were found with their hands and feet tied – an alarming detail that points to violence at sea rather than accidental drownings.
Two of the bodies surfaced near Formentera. The first was spotted on May 18 by a private yacht flying a Belgian flag.
A second corpse was recovered just days later, drifting not far from the same area. The Guardia Civil has confirmed an investigation is underway.
A deadly toll for 2025
So far this year, the waters surrounding the Balearic Islands have yielded a grim total of 31 bodies, many believed to be migrants lost during clandestine crossings from North Africa.
The figures, obtained from security forces and shared with the Balearic Government Delegation, paint a bleak picture.
Some 15 of the bodies were discovered between January and March, washed up along beaches or recovered at sea. The remaining 15 were found in the months that followed, between April 13 and June 3.
The latest body was recovered on Wednesday, June 4, just off Cala Jondal, Ibiza – a celebrity hotspot. It’s the 31st migrant-related fatality recorded in the Balearic Sea this year.
A worrying pattern of violence
The discovery of victims bound hand and foot has deepened suspicions that not all deaths are the result of capsized vessels or rough seas.
Authorities are now exploring the possibility that organised criminal networks may be behind what appears to be a string of at-sea executions.
So far, no arrests have been made, and officials have not confirmed how many of the 31 deaths are being treated as homicides.
