RABAT: At least five Moroccans drowned after their boat capsized off the coast of Western Sahara, according to a rights group, as migrants attempting to reach Europe from the region increase.
Authorities reported six migrants drowning off the coast of northern Morocco while attempting to reach Spain on Saturday.
According to Mohamed Zendour of the Moroccan Association for Human Rights (AMDH), a boat went down near Dakhla in the disputed Western Sahara on Monday, killing the latest victims.
“The vessel, which carried about 60 migrants, capsized not far from the coast due to waves,” Zendour added, adding that the death toll could rise further.
Moroccan authorities made no quick remark on the incident.
Morocco, located in northwest Africa, serves as a transit country for many migrants attempting to reach Europe via Spain’s mainland or the Canary Islands in the Atlantic.
The Canaries are only 150 kilometres (93 miles) off the coast of southern Morocco.
The Spanish islands have long been a magnet for migrants seeking a better life in Europe, with numerous boats departing from Morocco, Mauritania, and Senegal’s coasts.
After heightened patrols along Europe’s southern coast significantly curtailed Mediterranean crossings, Atlantic crossings began to surge in late 2019.
The Moroccan navy says it rescued over 900 migrants between July 10 and July 17, the majority of them were from Sub-Saharan African countries.
On Tuesday, Spain’s coast guard said it rescued a migrant boat off the Canary Islands, bringing 84 people to safety but also discovering the remains of a man who died en there.
Source: AFP
