Lost at sea on the ‘world’s deadliest migration route’
About this episode
The episode discusses a tragic migration attempt from The Gambia to the Canary Islands, highlighting the harrowing experiences of survivors.
In the last week in June a boat set sail from The Gambia heading for the Canary Islands. On board were an estimated 200 people, made up mostly of men of all ages as well as about 20 women and five children. Within weeks, only 36 would be alive; the rest killed by starvation and thirst as the engine failed and the boat got lost on the Atlantic migration route, now regarded as the deadliest in the world. As the days went on, bodies were thrown overboard and tension rose between the remaining desperate travellers who had paid traffickers to take them from impoverishment in west Africa to what they hoped would be a better life in Europe. A fishing boat found the distressed vessel in July, alerted authorities and the survivors were given medical attention in Mauritania before being returned home. It is estimated that since 2022 more than 20,000 people have died on this route. Sally Hayden, Irish Times reporter who specialises in migration, travelled to The Gambia and spoke to two of the survivors Alhagie Ngie (27) and Mustapha Secka (29) who gave eyewitness accounts. Presented by Bernice Harrison. Produced by Suzanne Brennan. Sally Hayden’s reporting was supported by the Simon Cumbers…
People in this episode
Host: Bernice Harrison
Guests: Alhagie Ngie, Mustapha Secka
Topics covered
- migration
- survival
- human trafficking
- Atlantic route
- refugees
- Gambia
- Canary Islands
Keywords
- migration
- Gambia
- Canary Islands
- survivors
- human trafficking
- Atlantic
- death toll
- starvation
- desperation
- refugees
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: The Irish Times
Places: The Gambia, Canary Islands, Mauritania
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