Rabat: A rights group reported on Tuesday that at least five Moroccans perished when their boat capsized off the coast of Western Sahara, adding to the growing number of attempts by migrants to cross into Europe from the region.
Authorities reported six migrants drowned off northern Morocco on Saturday while attempting to travel to Spain. According to Mohamed Zendour of the Moroccan Association for Human Rights (AMDH), the most recent fatalities occurred on Monday when a boat capsized near Dakhla in the contested Western Sahara.
The ship, which was carrying about 60 migrants, capsized due to waves not far from the coast, according to Zendour, who also warned that the death toll might increase.
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The Moroccan authorities have not yet made any remarks about the incident. Many migrants travelling to Europe via Spain's mainland or its Canary Islands in the Atlantic stop in Morocco in northwest Africa.
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Only 93 miles or 150 kilometres separate southern Morocco and the Canaries. Many boats leave from the coasts of Morocco, Mauritania, and Senegal on their way to the Spanish islands in search of a better life in Europe.
After increased patrols along Europe's southern coast drastically reduced Mediterranean crossings, Atlantic crossings started to soar in late 2019. The Moroccan navy claimed to have saved nearly 900 migrants between July 10 and July 17, the majority of whom were from sub-Saharan African nations.
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Tuesday, the Spanish coast guard reported that it had saved 84 migrants from a boat off the Canary Islands, but also discovered the body of a man who had passed away en route.