At Least 41 Dead After Latest Mediterranean Shipwreck, Survivors Say
ForbesAug 02, 2023
The Facts
Authorities and migrant advocates said Thursday that more than 60 migrants are feared dead after a Spanish vessel rescued a Senegalese traditional fishing boat carrying more than 100 people off Cape Verde.
The boat left Fass Boye, a small fishing village about 90 miles (145 km) north of Dakar, Senegal's capital, on July 10 and capsized according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
The Spin
Narrative A
Heightened border controls in northern Morocco, Libya, and Tunisia have pushed migrants from northwest African nations to opt for the more perilous route on the Atlantic to the Spanish Canary Islands. The trip can take anywhere from one to ten days, and it's common for migrants to run out of food, water, and fuel after only a few days on board. This is a sad and tragic outcome of a global migration crisis exacerbated by regional actors.
Narrative B
These deaths of migrants in the Atlantic are not accidental. European leaders have made a political choice to force refugees to make these dangerous journeys by setting up xenophobic border controls and severely limiting safe refugee routes. African nations should not be to blame — these crises are caused by inhumane European policies.
