Else Beekman
The number of disappearances in Spain continues to rise. Fortunately, the police managed to resolve over 72% of these cases within a week. For the remaining cases, time is the greatest adversary. In response, on Tuesday, Spanish Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska announced a series of new measures for missing persons.
In 2024, authorities recorded 16,147 disappearances, a 6% increase compared to the previous year.
Faster coordination and improved investigation
The Ministry of the Interior is stepping up efforts with the second Strategic Plan for Missing Persons, set to commence in 2025. The plan includes a uniform protocol for all security services and aims to facilitate faster, more efficient information exchange.
Currently, investigations spanning different jurisdictions often lead to delays. Streamlined communication is expected to mitigate this issue, particularly in long-term disappearances where technology plays an increasingly significant role.
Disappearance cases and the digital trail
One notable measure is the introduction of official missing persons posters featuring QR codes. These allow authorities to better control the dissemination of information and limit unwarranted speculation.
Additionally, the digital footprint of missing persons will be removed more promptly once a case is resolved. Currently, it takes 48 hours to take down a missing person notice; this will be reduced to 12 hours, preventing photos of located individuals from circulating on social media for extended periods.
Re-examining long-term disappearances and cold cases
Another significant development is the integration of data from old police reports and judicial archives with the database of missing persons and unidentified remains. This initiative has recently led to the identification of nine individuals reported missing between 1977 and 2004.
This system offers hope, especially to families who have endured years of uncertainty. Families can request a legal declaration of death after ten years (or five years for individuals over 75). The ministry intends to proactively review these requests and potentially link them to unidentified remains, providing quicker closure for more families.
Families at the centre: ‘right to know’
During the latest meeting with relatives of the missing, Minister Grande-Marlaska emphasised that no case is forgotten. “No matter how much time passes, we continue searching until we have answers,” he stated.
This commitment extends to the three individuals still missing since the severe storm (DANA) in Valencia in October 2024. “We leave no one behind. This is not just a promise but a fundamental duty of our society,” the minister concluded. “Every family has the right to know what happened to their loved one.”
Disappearances remain a growing concern
The number of missing persons in Spain continues to rise. In 2024, a total of 26,345 disappearance reports were filed, with 11,552 concerning individuals reported missing only once. The remainder involved repeated disappearances, particularly among teenagers.
Moreover, disappearances are not evenly distributed across Spain. In 2024, the regions reporting the most missing persons were the Canary Islands (4,502), Madrid (4,434), Catalonia (3,622), and Andalucia (3,443). Madrid and Las Palmas were the provinces with the highest figures.
These statistics underscore the need for targeted attention in certain areas to prevent and investigate disappearances effectively.