The rickety boat was carrying around 80 people when it capsized on December 19, according to Malian authorities. At least 69 people, including 25 Malians, died after a boat heading from West Africa to Spain’s Canary Islands capsized off Morocco, Malian authorities have said.
This boat was carrying around 80 people when it capsized on December 19. As a ministry official released information on Thursday, the number of survivors stands at just 11. A crisis unit has been established and is closely monitoring the situation, it added.”.
According to Doulaye Keita, adviser to the ministry, in a statement to The Associated Press news agency on Friday, several of the Malian victims are from the Kayes region in the west of the country. Among the 25 Malians dead, there are 8 Malians from my commune,” Mamadou Siby, the mayor of the commune of Marena in the Kayes region, told AP.
These dead young men departed from my commune seven months ago to work in the construction industry in Mauritania. Unfortunately, they came into contact with their buddies in Europe and America and encouraged them to travel into these countries, and most them did without informing their families in country.
The Atlantic migration route from the coast of West Africa to Spain’s Canary Islands, which is typically used by African migrants trying to reach mainland Spain, has experienced a surge this year. Already, 41,425 arrivals in January-November have exceeded last year’s record of 39,910.
Years of conflict in the Sahel region that includes Mali, unemployment, and the effect of climate change on farming communities are among the reasons why people attempt the crossing.
