2 Spanish police officers die when their patrol craft is smashed by a suspected drug boat

MADRID — Two Spanish police officers have been killed when a speedboat suspected of belonging to drug smugglers smashed into their patrol craft, Spain’s Civil Guard said Saturday.

The incident occurred late on Friday, police said, when the Civil Guard craft was tasked with identifying speedboats spotted in the southern port of Barbate. Video footage showed how one speedboat slammed into the patrol craft in the port’s waters.

The Civil Guard said Saturday that it had arrested eight suspects.

Another two officers from the six-member crew were hurt, the Civil Guard said.

Spain's coast near the Strait of Gibraltar is a hotspot for drug smuggling from Morocco into Europe.