Nine African Migrants Likely from Mauritania and Mali Found Dead at Sea Near Brazil

In a tragic turn of events off Brazil's northern coast, fishermen discovered a boat adrift in the Atlantic Ocean, carrying the lifeless bodies of nine individuals. Brazilian Federal Police, following an investigation into this grim find, indicated that the deceased were likely African migrants from Mauritania and Mali. The discovery was made off the coastal state of Pará on Saturday.

The 12-metre long canoe-shaped vessel, painted white and blue, bears resemblance to Mauritanian fishing pirogues. These boats are often used by West African migrants and refugees attempting to reach Spain's Canary Islands, hinting that Brazil was not their intended destination. This route from West Africa to the European Union is notoriously perilous, with many losing their lives to dehydration and malnutrition due to the lengthy and treacherous journey across the Atlantic.

An Associated Press investigation last year uncovered that at least seven boats from northwest Africa, all carrying deceased individuals, had been found across the Caribbean and Brazil in 2021 alone. This situation has escalated concerns among European authorities, especially following a 500% increase in migration attempts from Africa's northwest coast to Spain. Despite efforts to curb this migration through a 210 million euro agreement between the European Union and Mauritania signed in February, the majority of departures continue from Mauritania.

So far in 2024, over 13,000 migrants have successfully reached the Canary Islands, as reported by Spain's interior ministry. However, hundreds are still missing. In Mauritania, families of the disappeared have formed a "national commission" dedicated to searching for their loved ones. The discovery of the boat in Brazil has sparked anxious reactions among these families, who remain hopeful for any news regarding their missing relatives.

Brazilian authorities are currently engaged in efforts to identify the deceased and determine the cause of death. However, this task is complicated by the advanced state of decomposition of the bodies found. The investigation continues as officials work to piece together the circumstances leading up to this tragedy.