Two British men were killed, with a third critically injured, after their car collided with a suspected drug traffickers’ speedboat which had fallen off a trailer on a Spanish dual carriageway.
The incident occurred at about 9.30pm last night on the RM-12 motorway near El Algar, between Cartagena and the La Manga resort.
The semi-rigid vessel, believed to be a “narcolancha” often used in drug smuggling, fell from the trailer it was being towed on and ended up blocking both lanes of traffic.
The Civil Guard confirmed that the two deceased, aged between 47 and 54, and the critically injured driver were all British nationals.
A spokesman said: “A car carrying three British men collided with the boat after it fell into the road. Two of them lost their lives at the scene, and the driver sustained critical injuries.
“The accident happened around 9.30pm last night on the RM-12 around the El Algar municipality.
“A semi-rigid boat on board a trailer a vehicle was pulling came off and ended on the road across both lanes.
“A car travelling behind it with three British men inside aged between 47 and 54 smashed into the vessel. Two of those people died and another, who was the driver, was critically injured.
They added: “Eight other people travelling in six vehicles behind them also crashed into the boat and were injured.
“The driver of the vehicle that was travelling with the speed boat on the trailer fled the scene.
“He has yet to be arrested. The boat he was carrying that ended up on the dual-carriageway has all the characteristics of a so-called ‘narco lancha’ involved in drug trafficking and an investigation is ongoing.”
After the initial impact, six additional vehicles collided with the vessel, leaving a total of eight other individuals injured in the pile-up.
The driver of the vehicle towing the speedboat fled the scene and remains at large.
Authorities are actively investigating the incident and searching for the individual responsible.
The identities of the British victims have not yet been made public, and it is unclear whether they were residents in Spain or visiting as tourists. Police are also working to determine if their vehicle was privately owned or a rental.
The tragic incident highlights ongoing concerns about “narcolanchas” being used for illicit purposes.
The fast, semi-rigid boats are commonly associated with drug trafficking operations along Spain’s coastline.
An FCDO spokesperson said: “We are supporting the families of three British nationals following a road traffic incident in Spain and are in contact with the local authorities.”
