On November 16, 2024, a speedboat suspected of drug trafficking was involved in a fatal accident on the RM-12 motorway close to La Manga resort in Murcia, Spain. Two British nationals lost their lives in the incident and another one was critically injured. The deceased, identified by the local authorities through their initials as P.D., aged 49, and J.W., aged 57, were part of a golf trip. The third victim, I.P., 54, is currently in critical condition.

The victims were in a Seat Leon when a 32-foot speedboat, referred to as a “narco lancha,” detached from its high-speed trailer and hit their vehicle.

The collision resulted in a pileup involving six vehicles, causing minor injuries to eight other people. It took emergency teams half an hour to extricate individuals trapped in their cars. Four people – two women aged 18 and 55, and two men aged 19 and 29 – were later treated at a hospital in Cartagena.

The speedboat, allegedly used for drug smuggling, was found to be equipped with two 300-hp engines and did not bear a registration number. It is suspected that the boat was being transported to a nearby shoreline for illegal activities. The SUV towing the boat left the scene, abandoning both the speedboat and the vehicle. Surveillance footage is being examined to identify the suspect.

A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office stated, “We are supporting the families of three British nationals following a road traffic incident in Spain and are in contact with the local authorities.”

Spanish authorities have initiated a manhunt and are analyzing surveillance footage from traffic cameras and nearby businesses to identify the suspect. The motorway was closed for three hours for investigations to be conducted on the scene.