Illegal migration of people from the Sahara has escalated since the emergence of the pandemic. Smugglers who have mastered the art of ferrying migrants from the north African coast to Spain’s Canary Islands have sure made a lot of money, carry up to 30 people on every trip. Migrating to Spain has not been the best idea for greener pastures as it involves traveling across the dangerous waters of the Atlantic ocean. However, what can they do? Some people have not managed to reach their destinations due to the strong waves in the sea. According to the European Union agency, it is the most dangerous migratory route worldwide.
The Smugglers Operation
Only skilled smugglers successfully manage to cross the deep ocean waters. However, the operation begins with vessel preparations. Most of the time, smugglers hire their private boat makers, and in some cases, they purchase from fishers at the western Sahara Shore. The boat making process often occurs in the desert. This is to prevent drawing any unnecessary suspicions. Once the boat is complete, it is hidden deep in the sand. The smugglers then wait for nightfall to come and collect it. The process of unearthing the boat is quite a tussle, as it involves digging into large chunks of sand.
One of the biggest hassles in the smuggling business is not getting caught. Often before reaching the shores, the smugglers dodge several police helicopter searchlights in the desert. Dakhla, a town in Morocco, happens to be one of the smuggling zones. It is quite unfortunate that residents from this region sacrifice up to $2000 to reach their destination.
Why Do People Migrate to the Canary?
Although irregular crossing to Europe plunged in 2020, the canary islands’ movement has seen a significant surge. Most migrants flee from home because they are encouraged by the aid from Spain and European Union. More so, the pandemic has steered smuggling.
During an interview with AP, an anonymous local stated how the town’s situation had deteriorated since the onset of the pandemic. He said the virus had wiped out their livelihoods, cutting off tourism and periodically shutting down local businesses. While initially, most migrants came from the sub-Saharan states, now the majority are from Morocco.
Meanwhile, as some migrate, others have joined the illegal operation. A 32-year-old man whose identity remains a secret narrates how he organizes trips for the smuggling network. He says that as the network is his only source of income, he has no choice but to stick to it.
“We had to make money and feed our families, ” the 32-year old told AP on condition of anonymity because what he does is illegal.
The man says he organizes one trip every week. Though their competitors out up to 10 boats per night. However, close to half of the migration attempts fail most of the time. Some times because of departure problems. For instance, a specific boat recently caught fire before it set sail. However, less is known about what happened to those who were on board. According to the Missing Migrants project, about 601 migrants have died or disappeared along the course way.
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