A boat left Mauritania on January 2, carrying 86 migrants, including 66 Pakistanis, according to Walking Borders.
Moroccan authorities rescued 36 survivors from the boat on Wednesday, with others feared lost.
The boat capsized off the coast of Western Sahara, and survivors were taken to a camp in Dakhla.
Delayed Rescue Efforts Amidst a Perilous Journey
Walking Borders’ CEO, Helena Maleno, emphasized the migrants endured 13 days at sea without any rescue.
Despite notifications, no immediate help arrived, leaving the boat’s passengers in increasing danger.
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that many of the passengers were from the country, including the majority of the deceased.
Pakistan had been alerted to the boat’s distress, but rescue efforts came too late, without a definitive response.
Ongoing Tragedy of Migrant Sea Crossings
Spain’s maritime rescue service was alerted about the boat on January 10 but failed to locate it.
Walking Borders and Alarm Phone had both informed authorities about the missing vessel days before the incident.
Sadly, this incident is part of a broader pattern of escalating migrant deaths at sea.
In 2024, 10,457 migrants perished trying to reach Spain, predominantly along the Atlantic route from West Africa.