The Island Directorate and the Cruz del Mar Victims Association express their will to maintain this tribute every year on that date.
The Island Director of the General State Administration in Lanzarote has remembered the victims of the terrorist attack against the fishing boat Cruz del Mar, in an act held on the occasion of the European Day of Victims of Terrorism, which is commemorated every March 11. The tribute had the participation and support of the Cruz del Mar Victims Association, with whose representatives a message of memory, recognition, and respect was shared towards the Lanzarote sailors who lost their lives in that attack and towards their families. During his speech, the representative of the Government of Spain on the island underlined the importance of keeping alive the memory of the victims as part of the institutional commitment to democracy and coexistence. “The memory of the victims of the Cruz del Mar is a duty of memory and democratic dignity. Keeping their memory alive is also reaffirming our commitment to freedom, coexistence, and the firm rejection of any form of terrorism,” said the Island Director. Likewise, he highlighted the work carried out by the Cruz del Mar Victims Association to preserve the memory of those who lost their lives in this tragic event and to accompany their families. In the course of the act, the Association conveyed two requests to public administrations: on the one hand, to the Government of Spain, for the attack to continue to be investigated to its ultimate consequences; and, on the other hand, to the Government of the Canary Islands, for the duty to incorporate and teach this episode of recent history in the educational field to be fulfilled, thus contributing to the preservation of collective memory. The attack against the fishing boat Cruz del Mar, which occurred in 1978 off the coast of the Sahara, caused the death of several Lanzarote sailors and deeply shocked the island. Decades later, its memory remains present as a symbol of dignity and memory for Lanzarote society. In this regard, both the Island Directorate of the General State Administration in Lanzarote and the Cruz del Mar Victims Association have expressed their intention to continue promoting this act of tribute around March 11, coinciding with the European Day of Victims of Terrorism, with the aim of keeping alive the memory of the victims and conveying to new generations the commitment to the values of peace, justice, and democratic coexistence. From the General State Administration, permanent recognition of all victims of terrorism and institutional support for their families has been reiterated, reaffirming the commitment to continue working for memory, dignity, and the defense of democratic values.