Published 14:02 IST, October 6th 2019
Spain police officers suffer crash, smugglers come to immediate rescue
An unexpected incident happened early on Friday morning in waters off the southern coast of Spain when drug-smugglers turned rescuers for 3 police officers
An unexpected incident happened early on Friday morning in waters off the southern coast of Spain when drug-smugglers turned rescuers for the police and saved the lives of three officers.
Pulled out to safety by smugglers
According to police, three Spanish police officers, after being thrown into the sea when their boat crashed early on Friday, were pulled out to safety by the drug-smugglers whom they were high-speed chasing. The men saved the Civil Guard crew in the Mediterranean following a collision of the Costa del Sol holiday resort of Mijas near Malaga.
According to a police statement, the incident took place after the police began chasing a speedboat with four people on board who were suspected of transporting drugs. During the chase, however, the two vessels collided. The collision caused three police officers to fall into the sea as their boat lost control and crashed immediately.
Immediately after the crash, a police helicopter that was hovering overhead, using a megaphone, called on suspects onboard the speedboat for help. The suspected smugglers then pulled out the three officers to safety, unharmed.
Helicopter directed for support
According to local media, the crew of the helicopter of the Malaga Air Unit, upon realising the imminent danger to the civil guards, asked the occupants of the other vessel to support them by public address. The police officers immediately received the support and were rescued without any injuries.
The gesture, however, did not spare them. The police found three tonnes of hashish in the water nearby and action was immediately ordered against them. According to the police statement, the suspects were therein arrested for drug trafficking after more than 80 bundles of hash were recovered from the sea.
Updated 14:40 IST, October 6th 2019