In the deadliest shipwreck of 2020, the United Nations have reported on Thursday the death of at least 140 migrants who were travelling from Western Africa to Europe on a boat.
The unfortunate death occurred when the boat ignited and overturned in the Atlantic Ocean near the coast of Senegal. This led to the 200 passengers falling into the waters and fighting for their lives in the fatal water body with no protective gears.
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the fire was caught after a few hours of starting from Mbour, situated about 100 kilometres south of Dakar, capital of Senegal where the incident took place.
To save the drowning migrants, the Senegalese and Spanish troops jumped in action and rescued nearly 60 of them. However, the IOM still said that “atleast 140 migrants have drowned in the waters”.
Acting as a route towards the end of poverty, the seaway between the Western region of Africa and the Canary Islands of Spain was quite popular sometime back in the 2000s. Since Spain let its guards over the route from the mid half of the 2000 era, the journeys became fewer. This year, however, is witnessing an increase in the travels.
In a bid to furnish the needs and requirements of the surviving migrants, the Senegal government and the IOM stepped up and organized an operation to reach Saint Louis and distribute the same along with psycho-social aid.
The IOM’s reports state there have been 14 boats with 663 passengers on board travelling to the Canary Islands from West Africa in just one month of September this year.
According to them, from these, 26 per cent of the boats have reported accidents mid-way to their destination.
About 11,000 people have reached the Spanish Canary islands in 2020 while 2,557 people had arrived within this time period in 2019, the stats said.
The fatalities too have increased with 414 people dying in the way this year compared to the 210 deaths reported last year.
Al Jazeera reported that the migrants of the African region, Libya are being flown back to their homes from Nigeria after suffering dire situations in the country.
Migrants around the world have gone through terrible conditions, many dying of starvation and tiredness around amid the pandemic. As the loss of employment and food pressured them into moving to other cities, the virus had made them enter worse calamities in the new places. With no other escape, they are travelling back to their home countries and cities.
Although the Libyan migrants shared their happiness of getting back to their home soon, they are also very depressed as they are returning with absolutely nothing other than a pair of clothes on their bodies.
