Having been pushed back by the Spanish authorities to Morocco, Serge decided to try the 'Atlantic route' to Europe. But once at sea, the boat lost its motor, and Serge thought he was going to die.
Authorities in Laayoune, Morocco have been subjecting sub-Saharan migrants to constant harassment, an Ivorian in the city has told InfoMigrants. He said scores of migrants are being arrested and detained every day and "danger is everywhere."
Portugal and Morocco signed an agreement on Wednesday, highlighting legal minutiae for Moroccans to come to live and work in the EU member state. The deal is part of ongoing efforts to fight illegal migration and human trafficking on both sides.
Over the last two days, Spanish marine rescue services reported that they rescued 72 migrants from two separate boats. At least 28 are thought to still be missing from another boat found about 120 kilometers south of Gran Canaria.
UNHCR reports that over 3,000 people either died or went missing while trying to reach Europe via sea in 2021. The UN agency has asked for urgent measures to ward off an increase in people losing their lives on these journeys.