The boat capsized in waters between Algeria and Spain, killing at least 17 Somali migrants, according to Somalia’s ambassador to Algeria, Yusuf Ahmed Hassan. Hassan said he was contacted by distressed parents in Somalia who were searching for information about missing relatives. He later coordinated with Algerian officials and traveled to the province where the Algerian Foreign Ministry said a group of African migrants had died, arriving in the early hours of Thursday.
Hassan told Somali state media that the victims included 12 men and five women who drowned during the often-dangerous trip to Europe. He described being reached by parents who wanted to know where their children were, and he said that information led him to contact the Algerian Foreign Ministry.
According to Hassan, the Algerian Foreign Ministry informed him that the deaths had occurred in a coastal province about 100 kilometers west of the capital, Algiers. He said he traveled to Bou Ismail and arrived at around 6 a.m. on Thursday. Hassan added that he visited two hospitals in the province and saw the bodies.
Hassan said shipwrecks remain frequent along migrant routes across the western Mediterranean and the Atlantic corridors toward Europe. He described the route between North Africa and Spain as one commonly used by migrants attempting to reach Europe, often using overcrowded and unseaworthy boats. He also said Somali migrants have increasingly undertaken such journeys, citing insecurity, limited economic opportunities and prolonged drought conditions at home.
The ambassador said Algeria’s authorities had not yet released full details about the latest tragedy. AP reported that this included uncertainty over the total number of passengers on board and how the boat capsized.