Spain arrests suspect in February motorboat accident that killed 2 policemen

Spanish authorities have arrested a 32-year-old man over the deaths of two police officers in February when a motorboat suspected of being drug smugglers hit their patrol, the Spanish Civil Guard said on Thursday.

MADRID — Spanish authorities have arrested a 32-year-old man over the deaths of two police officers in February when a speedboat believed to belong to drug smugglers hit their patrol boat, Spain’s Civil Guard said on Thursday.

The incident occurred on February 9 as a Civil Guard vessel was patrolling the area, identifying motorboats spotted in the southern port of Barbate. Video footage showed the motorboat hitting the vessel in port waters.

The Civil Guard said in a statement that it had arrested one suspect and asked a local court to issue international arrest warrants for three people who were on the motorboat, on suspicion that the others had been outside Spain shortly after the incident.

Two other members of the six-person crew were also injured, the Civil Guard reported in February.

The Spanish coast near the Strait of Gibraltar is an important point for drug smuggling from Morocco to Europe.