Spanish police who were knocked overboard in a high-speed boat chase were saved by the same alleged drug traffickers they were pursuing, police said.
After colliding with the other boat, the officers lost control of the vessel and were thrown into waters off the coast of Málaga, in the southern part of Spain.
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A police helicopter following the boats appealed to the alleged traffickers to help using a megaphone, with the four on board ultimately agreeing to pull the officers out of the water to safety.
“The crew of the helicopter of the Malaga Air Unit, upon realizing the imminent danger to the civil guards, required the occupants of the other vessel to support them by public address, being rescued by them and being all unharmed,” the police statement read according to Sky News.
Despite coming to the aid the officers, the occupants of the boat were still arrested after officers allegedly found more than 3,000 kilos of hashish that had fallen into the waters nearby, police said.
“They were arrested for drug trafficking,” and more than 80 bundles of hashish were retrieved from the sea, the police statement read according to AFP.