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13 Migrant Children Drown off the Coast of Africa

The fate of desperate migrants trying to leave Africa in a bid to reach the European continent is a problem much debated on by human right?s activists and government authorities. These people leave their homelands and the difficult conditions of the African continent in search of a better life and the hope of starting anew. Many boat owners and so-called agents take advantage of these migrants? desperation and pile them onto unseaworthy, crowded boats with the promise of getting them across safely ? usually for a hefty amount.

Recently, the world was once again shocked by the story of another ship sinking due to overcrowded conditions, perhaps more so this time because the story involved little children. Apparently, a small boat carrying approximately 35 children left a Western Sahara beach on the weekend and ran into weather trouble while in the middle of the Atlantic. The bodies of 13 of these children were washed up on shore and another 20 are still missing.

Rickety boats regularly leave the Western Saharan town of Boujdour every week. Experts estimate that over 40 boats, loaded with at least 18 children each, head for the Spanish Canary Islands weekly. Popular belief exists among the African locals that Spanish authorities will be more tolerant towards minor migrants and these people send their children to try their luck in Europe. Unfortunately, as the latest story indicates, some of them never make it to the European shores.