A week of horror in the Western Mediterranean – and Nobody Talks about It
Between the 30th of August and the 6th of September, several boats capsized or disappeared in the Western Mediterranean Sea, off the coast of Morocco, but there is no outcry about the lives lost and hardly any media coverage. We as the Alarm Phone were directly involved in some of these cases, and we still seek to find traces of those who have gone missing. With every day passing, the hope to find them still alive decreases. While many die or disappear at sea because they have no safe ways to reach Europe, Moroccan forces violently repress those still seeking to cross on behalf of Europe. With the Western Mediterranean migration route being the busiest this year, the mechanics of oppression react in an increasingly violent fashion.
30th of August: We were alerted to a boat that had left from Nador/Morocco, carrying 52 people – among them 6 women, one of whom was pregnant. This boat has still not been found, and we fear the worst.
3rd of September: A boat carrying 61 people went missing – this boat has also still not been found.
5th of September: The Alarm Phone was alerted to two boats, one with 57 people and the second with 58 people on board. While both were eventually discovered and rescued, 6 dead bodies were recovered from each boat. Also 4 bodies were recovered from the sea near the Moroccan coast, close to the Algerian border.
6th of September: A boat capsized and 9 bodies were discovered near Bider beach, west of the Algerian border town Marsa Ben M’Hidi.
WatchTheMed Alarmphone | 11.09.2018