At least 89 migrants and refugees bound for Europe have died, with dozens still missing, after their boat capsized off the coast of Mauritania. The fishing boat, which had departed from the border of Senegal and Gambia with 170 people on board, capsized due to strong winds and high waves on the Atlantic route. The dangerous journey is known for its strong currents, and migrants often travel in overloaded, unseaworthy boats without enough drinking water.
The European Union had promised Mauritania financial support to tackle migration and provide humanitarian aid for migrants, as there has been a steep increase in the number of people setting off from the country towards Spain’s Canary Islands. Meanwhile, a new report from the UN refugee and migration agencies and the Mixed Migration Centre research group revealed that the number of people crossing the Sahara towards the Mediterranean is on the rise due to conflict and instability in countries like Mali, Burkina Faso, and Sudan.
The report highlighted the dangers faced by migrants traveling through areas where insurgent groups and criminal actors operate. Over 1,180 people have died while crossing the Sahara desert between January 2020 to May 2024, with the toll believed to be much higher. This year alone, more than 72,000 people have taken land routes to the Mediterranean, with 785 dying or going missing during that period.
The report also mentioned cases of organ removals from migrants, with some agreeing to them for money while others had their organs taken without consent. Libya, Algeria, and Ethiopia were considered the most dangerous transit countries by respondents in the study.
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