One man has died and another is seriously injured after a fuel explosion linked to suspected drug trafficking off the coast of Cadiz.
The incident happened on Wednesday afternoon around 40 nautical miles offshore, in international waters, where inflatable boats were carrying out a refuelling operation known as ‘petaqueo’.
According to Guardia Civil sources, the blast occurred while fuel was being transferred from a supply boat to a narco-boat ferrying drugs.
For reasons still unclear, the fuel ignited, causing a blast that left one man dead and several others injured.
Emergency teams from Salvamento Marítimo were deployed, including a rescue helicopter and a vessel, to assist those on board.
At least two of the injured have been taken to a hospital in Jerez, where they remain under treatment.
The waters around the Strait of Gibraltar are a well-known route for drug traffickers, who use high-powered speedboats to move hashish from North Africa into southern Spain.
The short distance between the two continents, combined with heavy maritime traffic, makes the area difficult to police.
So-called ‘narcolanchas’ often operate at night and rely on support vessels to refuel at sea, allowing them to stay out for longer and avoid detection.
These refuelling operations, like the one involved in this incident, are considered particularly risky due to the large quantities of fuel handled in unstable conditions.
Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.
