Shocking details have been revealed of a murderous drugs-related kidnapping on a tug in the Atlantic last November.
Reports at the time said nine crew members were arrested on the 1,348-gt Sea Paradise (built 1973) after 2,300 kg of cocaine was found on board.
Now police and customs agencies have said a Serbian crew member shot dead a colleague and dumped his body into the sea to gain control of the Panama-flag ship.
He then took the remaining eight seafarers hostage.
A Spanish team arrived at the scene 12 hours later and after several hours of negotiations, apprehended the kidnapper and the other seafarers, El Espanol reported.
The gunman was persuaded to surrender his weapon.
The other crew members were also members of a criminal gang smuggling drugs, the report said.
“Operation Neptune” began after customs agents carried out an investigation into a gang intending to bring in drugs from South America.
The idea was to transfer the cocaine to a smaller vessel close to the Canary Islands.
The Sea Paradise was described as the mother ship in the “narco-kidnapping”.
The vessel was later taken to Tenerife.
A search in the port revealed the drugs hidden in a difficult-to-access compartment of the tug.
The bundles were attached to strobe lights and water bottles so they could float in the ocean and be spotted by the smaller craft.
The Sea Paradise is listed as operated by Transglobal Metals of the Dominican Republic, which could not be contacted.
