The Policía Nacional on 11 October 2026 in Palma has arrested a businessman. He is accused of violating workers’ rights and assaulting a woman who worked on board a Yacht carrying out maintenance and service work. The investigation is being led by Group I of the unit against migrant smuggling and document fraud (UCRIF), after the woman filed a complaint.
According to the woman’s account, as relayed by police, she spent four months continuously on board, working as a deckhand and a stewardess. She says she was entitled to wages of around 17,500 euros for this period, but actually received only 480 euros She describes degrading treatment, periods of hunger, physical assaults and extremely long working hours with very little sleep. A medically documented carbon monoxide poisoning during the assignment temporarily caused partial hearing loss.
Investigators also point to irregularities in the vessel’s operations and documentation: the yacht’s automatic identification system AIS was switched off at times. There were also deficiencies in crew lists and border formalities. The arrested man was handed over to the relevant authorities; as of Sunday, no information was initially available about detention or further procedural decisions.
Police describe this as a suspected case of exploitation and violation of workers’ rights; the woman’s account is presented as her own allegations. Whether, and to what extent, any criminal offences have been committed is the subject of the ongoing proceedings.
On the Balearic Islands UCRIF has for some time been investigating suspected exploitation in maritime employment and among seasonal workers. Labour-law specialists and support organisations see particular enforcement gaps on private yachts: crew registration rules and technical monitoring are harder to check there than in regular port or charter operations. The current case has once again brought these issues into focus, but no conclusions about the arrested man’s guilt can yet be drawn.
Facts, attributions, projections: The arrest took place in Palma on 11 October 2026; UCRIF is investigating. The allegations and health effects are based on the woman’s complaint and information from the Policía Nacional. No further judicial measures are known so far.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).