Overview

• Abdennour El Hichou, the fourth and final suspect in the fatal Barbate narcolancha attack, was arrested in Cádiz on May 4, 2025, after 15 months in hiding in Morocco.
• The February 2024 attack involved a speedboat ramming a Civil Guard patrol vessel, killing officers Miguel Ángel González and David Pérez and injuring four others.
• All four suspects, including pilot Karim El Baqqali, are in provisional detention and face charges of murder, attempted murder, assault on authority, contraband, and criminal organization membership.
• Guardia Civil investigations, supported by video evidence, suggest the attack was intentional, with repeated ramming maneuvers targeting the patrol boat.
• The incident has spurred public outcry, memorials for the slain officers, and renewed calls for stronger anti-drug trafficking measures in the Strait of Gibraltar.