The defendant accused of being the skipper of a boat that collided and capsized in Tinajo in May 2019 has denied his participation during the trial and has stated that the head of the boat left in a zodiac before the accident occurred, in which one of the occupants lost his life. A. B., 47 years old and born in Agadir, Morocco. In addition, before the First Section of the Provincial Court of Las Palmas, the defendant stated that he was not in command of the boat and that those in charge were the three witnesses who have testified against him. He claimed to have paid one of them, who is listed as a protected witness in the case, 800 euros for the trip.
The case is twofold, for a crime against the rights of foreign citizens in medial competition with one of reckless homicide, as well as another of public health, due to the fact that two bundles with 21.70 kilos of hashish were found near the boat, an amount of drugs whose value on the market, according to the Prosecutor's Office, amounts to 34,000 euros.
The boat arrived at Los Marisqueros beach in Lanzarote on May 8, 2019 at approximately 00:40 hours, where it collided with the rocks and capsized, causing the death of one of the 13 occupants. On the boat, which also carried five minors, were the three protected witnesses in the case whom the defendant identifies as being in charge of steering the boat. "If I were the skipper, I would have brought my family," said the defendant, while indicating that the only ones who place him as the boss were in charge of the boat at all times.
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