Cape Verde: Cape Verdean authorities said on Thursday that they had found a boat carrying migrants off the coast of the West African island nation, and that more than 60 people were feared dead.
The boat was found adrift about 100 kilometers (62 miles) off the coast of Boa Vista, one of Cape Verde’s 10 islands. It was carrying an estimated 120 people, but only 58 were found alive.
The survivors told authorities that they had been at sea for several days and that many of the passengers had died of thirst and hunger. They also said that the boat had been overcrowded and that it had capsized in rough seas.
The Cape Verdean government has dispatched a search and rescue team to the area, but it is not clear if any more survivors will be found.
The tragedy is the latest in a series of migrant boat disasters in the Atlantic Ocean. In recent years, thousands of people have died trying to reach Europe by boat from Africa.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has called for urgent action to address the root causes of migration, such as poverty and conflict. The IOM also said that more needs to be done to provide safe and legal pathways for migrants.
The Cape Verdean government has expressed its condolences to the families of the victims and has said that it will do everything it can to help the survivors.
The tragedy has also highlighted the dangers of migrant smuggling. The IOM estimates that there are currently about 40 million migrants worldwide who have been smuggled across borders. These migrants are often exploited and abused by smugglers, and they face a high risk of death.
The international community needs to do more to combat migrant smuggling and to provide safe and legal pathways for migrants. This is essential to prevent tragedies like the one that occurred off the coast of Cape Verde.