Spain arrests suspect in connection with February speedboat accident that killed two police officers

Spanish authorities have arrested a 32-year-old man over the deaths of two police officers in February when a speedboat suspected of belonging to drug smugglers collided with their patrol boat, the Spanish Guardia Civil 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 suspected of belonging to drug smugglers collided with their patrol boat, the Spanish Guardia Civil said on Thursday.

The incident occurred on February 9 when the Guardia Civil boat was on patrol to identify speedboats spotted in the southern port of Barbate. Video footage showed a speedboat colliding with the boat in the waters of the port.

The Guardia Civil said in a statement that it had arrested a suspect and asked a local court to issue international arrest warrants for three people on the speedboat, as the others were believed to have been outside Spain since shortly after the incident.

Two other members of the six-person crew were injured, the Guardia Civil said in February.

The Spanish coast near the Strait of Gibraltar is a hotspot for drug smuggling from Morocco to Europe.