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Date Published: 18/11/2024

Two Brits dead after drug boat causes crash on La Manga motorway

The deceased were in Murcia for a golfing holiday when the accident happened

Anoche un grupo criminal provocó un accidente en la autovía de la Manga a la altura de El Algar (Cartagena) matando a dos personas e hiriendo a otras 9.
Se les cayó una narcolancha que transportaban en un remolque.
🎥 @salva_psoemanga pic.twitter.com/8uLBEWGjt7
— Niporwifi © (@niporwifi) November 17, 2024

Two British tourists lost their lives, and eight other people were injured, in a tragic accident on the La Manga del Mar Menor autovía on Saturday night, November 16, when they were struck by a drug smugglers’ boat.

The incident, which occurred at around 10pm near Venta el Sabinar, Cartagena, was caused when the glider-style boat becoming detached from a trailer towed by a 4x4 vehicle, leading to a devastating multi-vehicle collision involving at least ten cars.

Those killed were confirmed to be two British women, aged 49 and 57, who were travelling in a hire car with a fellow tourist. The third occupant, a 51-year-old man, suffered life-threatening injuries and was taken to Virgen de la Arrixaca hospital. The group had reportedly been visiting the area for a golf holiday.

Other casualties included an 18-year-old woman and a 19-year-old man, along with others aged up to 55, all of whom sustained fractures and multiple contusions. Four were treated at Santa Lucía hospital in Cartagena.

The driver of the off-road vehicle fled the scene after the collision, prompting an investigation by the Guardia Civil. Authorities are examining traffic camera footage and other surveillance to identify the vehicle, which witnesses described in detail.

The boat, a powerful semi-rigid vessel, has drawn suspicion due to its common use in drug trafficking and irregular immigration operations, and it is thought that the owners could be drug smugglers.

Emergency services worked into the night, with firefighters taking over 30 minutes to extricate the deceased from their vehicle. The motorway remained closed for more than three hours, causing significant disruption.

Drivers expressed disbelief that such a vessel could be transported unnoticed during a busy period, raising questions about enforcement and prevention measures.

The Guardia Civil continues its search for the driver and vehicle involved in what has become not only a tragic accident but a potential criminal investigation tied to illicit maritime activity.

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