Police believe an engine failure is the main cause of a migrant boat tragedy off the coast of Cartagena.
The small vessel, carrying 18 people, was found adrift at sea. Only two people were rescued alive, while three were confirmed dead. The remaining passengers are still missing.
Sources close to the investigation say the group set off from Algeria using an engine with less power than required for the journey. The engine is believed to have failed in open water, leaving the boat unable to move for several days.
The incident is being treated as a case of illegal immigration. The search operation has focused on waters near Cartagena and Cabo de Palos as authorities continue efforts to trace the missing passengers.
This article was written with AI assistance and reviewed by a human editor before publication.