17 migrants die after 15 days adrift in boat off Mallorca; two survivors rescued

Tragedy off Mallorca

Two men of Maghreb origin were rescued at 03:00 on Tuesday about 12.68 nautical miles southwest of Mallorca. They told authorities that their boat had been adrift for 15 days with 19 people on board, and that the other 17 had died. The survivors were taken to Son Espases University Hospital in Palma with signs of dehydration and malnutrition. The Spanish government delegation in the Balearics confirmed the details.

Search and rescue response

Maritime Rescue (Salvamento Marítimo) deployed a helicopter to search the area near the sinking and issued a notice to mariners. The operation also involved the Fiscal and Border Section of the Civil Guard from the port of Palma. No other survivors or bodies had been located by mid-morning.

A day of multiple interceptions

The tragedy came after a busy Monday in Balearic waters. At 07:17, a boat with 26 sub-Saharan migrants was intercepted 3.7 miles southeast of Cabrera. At 14:05, another with 28 sub-Saharan occupants was found 8 miles southeast of Cala Llombards on Mallorca's south coast. Two more boats were stopped around 17:10: one with 16 Maghreb migrants 6 miles southeast of Formentera, and another with 17 Maghreb men and one sub-Saharan man in the port of Cabrera. Earlier on Tuesday, at 05:15, a separate boat with 15 Maghreb migrants was rescued 30 miles southwest of Ibiza.

Migration numbers in the Balearics

According to the latest Interior Ministry data compiled by EFE, 210 boats carrying 3,920 irregular migrants have reached the Balearic Islands so far in 2026. Some reports put the year-to-date figure at 209 boats and 3,918 people, while others cite 208 boats and 3,900, reflecting the rapid pace of arrivals. In 2025, the archipelago received 401 boats with 7,321 people, a 24.5% increase in migrant numbers and nearly 15% more boats than in 2024. On Sunday, two more boats arrived: one in Formentera with 17 people and another in Mallorca with eight.