The Senegal navy on Sunday found at least 30 decaying bodies on a boat some 70 kilometers (38 nautical miles) off the capital Dakar. The vessel was found along a route reportedly used to migrate to Spain.
The origins of the wooden fishing boat, known as a pirogue, are being traced, and precise information on the death toll is yet to be shared, the military said Monday.
Desperate for a better life, many illegal migrants are willing to risk everything, even death, to relocate to Europe or other developed parts of the world. Draconian immigration policies continue to be an ineffective deterrent to stop this. Given that vulnerable people will continue to believe that the slim chance of a brighter future is worth the risk, policies must be updated to show more compassion to those being exploited, and to target the criminal gangs responsible for the fatal consequences of illegal migration.
Europe is bearing the brunt of an overwhelming humanitarian crisis. Already struggling economically, the continent faces immense pressure from the relentless influx of migrants, many of whom arrive illegally. While Europe's compassion is stretched thin, the burden is unfairly skewed, as neighboring wealthy regions remain indifferent, leaving Europe to grapple with this overwhelming crisis' social, political, and economic fallout. Strict policies are the only option left to the continent to discourage this ongoing situation.