Migrant death toll rises along Morocco-Spain route

Migrants are choosing ever more dangerous routes and putting their lives at risk as southern European nations crack down on coastal border management.

Efforts by the European Union and its Member States to block the flow of migrants have seen a drop in the overall number of migrants reaching Europe by sea, recorded at over 108,000 so far this year, compared to 159,996 last year and 348,591 in 2016. Although the number of arrivals has decreased since 2016, at least 2,133 migrants have lost their lives while crossing the Mediterranean to Europe so far in 2018.  

On the route from Morocco to Spain, which has become increasingly popular with migrants after Italy cracked down on the central Mediterranean corridor, more than 680 people have died or gone missing this year, over three times more than in all of 2017.

“This is usually a time of slowing down on these routes, that is not happening in Spain,” IOM spokesperson Joel Millman told a news briefing on 23 November.

Millman added that migrants are using less seaworthy vessels than before. He also reported that around 24 migrants drowned off the coast of Cadiz, Spain, last month.

The latest incident happened when a boat carrying dozens of Sub-Saharan African migrants was stranded at sea for four days after its engine failed on its way from Morocco to Spain.  

On 24 November, the Moroccan navy found “15 lifeless corpses” on board the boat alongside survivors, AFP, a French news outlet, revealed. The 53 survivors, including eight women, were taken to the coastal town of Nador, in northeast Morocco.

Even though migrants find it increasingly difficult to reach Europe and the number of migrants arriving in Europe has decreased over the last two years, countries like Italy are holding their strict stance on irregular immigration.

Recently, Sicilian prosecutors requested the seizure of the Aquarius, a migrant rescue vessel operated by Medecins Sans Frontières and SOS Mediterranée. The ship is accused of illegally disposing of 24 tonnes of potentially hazardous waste in 11 Italian ports over two and a half years.

“After two years of defamatory and unfounded allegations of collusion with human traffickers, judicial investigations, and bureaucratic obstacles against our humanitarian work, we are now accused of organised crime aimed at illicit waste trafficking,” MSF’s head of emergencies, Karline Kleijer, said.

The BBC reports that the rescue vessel has been docked in Marseille, France, for months since Panama revoked its registration, alleging pressure from Italy as the reason.

Soon, Italy’s parliament will vote on a new immigration law that will remove humanitarian protections for migrants and block asylum seekers from accessing services. A group of UN experts have condemned the proposed law.

TMP – 12/12/2018

Photo: Gibraltar Straight/Shutterstock. Migrants on a motorboat beg for help from a cruise ship.