Tragedy struck this week as authorities reported that over 60 individuals are believed to have lost their lives in a heartbreaking incident.
The victims were on board a boat originating from Senegal that tragically capsized in the Atlantic Ocean near Cape Verde.
The grim discovery was made by a Spanish fisherman, who found the vessel adrift approximately 150 miles north of Sal, one of the islands that comprise Cape Verde, as confirmed by the nation’s national police.
The ill-fated boat had embarked on its journey from Fass Boye, a fishing village situated around 90 miles to the north of Dakar, the capital of Senegal, on July 10.
While the accident claimed the lives of 7 individuals, including four children, there is a glimmer of hope as 38 survivors managed to weather the ordeal.
Heartbreakingly, 56 individuals remain missing and are presumed to have tragically lost their lives, according to a spokeswoman from the U.N. migration agency.
This tragic incident underscores the perilous circumstances migrants often face, with smugglers cramming them into poorly constructed and overcrowded vessels in their quest to reach European shores. Many of these migrants courageously undertake these treacherous journeys to escape the challenges of conflict and poverty in their home nations.
Meanwhile, European countries continue to take measures to halt migrant crossings before they reach their destinations.
Providing context to this heartbreaking incident, the Spanish migrant advocacy group Walking Borders has reported a devastating loss of life along the West African route to Spain.
Shockingly, at least 778 migrants have lost their lives during the first half of this year, further highlighting the dire risks that these individuals undertake in pursuit of a better life.
