Two crooks set their cocaine-loaded yacht on fire after being intercepted by officials in choppy waters at sea.
Footage of the drama shows how a large blaze consumed the sloop and sent a column of thick smoke into the sky.
Uniformed officials could be seen braving the rough conditions as they balanced on the bow of a responding vessel.
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They could be seen soaking the yacht with water from a hose in a bid to put out the fire and save the suspects.
One of the crooks was able to swim towards one of the responding vessels and was hauled up onto the deck.
The drama took place on Friday (4 Jul), about 50 nautical miles (57.5 miles) off Tenerife, in the Canary Islands.
The interception was carried out by a patrol vessel and a special operations ship belonging to the Spanish Tax Agency, as reported by Need To Know.
One of the two suspects was seriously injured by their own act of arson and had to be rescued by helicopter.
Much of the drug haul was destroyed before the officials managed to bring the blaze under control.
They managed to recover about 25 kg (55 lb 2 oz) of cocaine from the doomed yacht before the fire reignited and it sank.
A Spanish Ministry of Finance spokesperson said: “It was expected to transfer the cargo to another boat, likely a semi-rigid craft, which would then attempt to bring the drugs ashore in Spain.”
The intelligence that led to the interception was, in part, provided by the UK’s National Crime Agency and the US’s Drug Enforcement Administration.
The suspects have been identified as a French national and a Dutch national.
Both have been arrested.
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