MOGADISHU (Kaab TV) – At least 17 Somali youths have died in the sea between Spain and Algeria after a boat carrying them capsized while they were attempting to cross irregularly to Europe.
The deceased have been confirmed as 5 girls and 12 boys. The tragedy once again highlights the extreme dangers involved in illegal maritime migration routes.
The Somali Embassy in Algeria said it has recently been working on efforts to curb irregular migration, which had contributed to a reduction in deaths in recent times, though this latest incident underscores that the risks remain very high.
The Associated Press (AP) news agency quoted Somalia’s Ambassador Yusuf Ahmed Hassan as saying that the victims include 12 men and five women, and that they are believed to have died by drowning.
Hassan told Somali state media that he had been approached by distressed parents seeking information about their missing relatives, who “wanted to know their whereabouts.”
The ambassador also told AP that he travelled to the city of Bou Ismail in the early hours of April 23, where the bodies had been taken.
He said that there, he “visited two hospitals in the province and saw the bodies.”
The embassy stated that further details, including the names and photos of the deceased, will be released in the coming hours after the information is formally shared by Somalia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Algerian authorities have yet to disclose full details relating to this latest tragedy at sea, including the total number of passengers known to have been on board at the time of the capsizing.