Chadian travels on a overloaded truck across the desert. The migrants reportedly left Moussoro, a crossroads town in West-Central Chad, 17 months ago on a bakkie. File picture: Michele Cattanni/AFP
Cape Town - In another grizzly discovery barely a few days apart, the bodies of 27 migrants believed to have died of thirst have been found in the Chadian desert, according to the UN migration agency.
The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) says that it is deeply shocked and saddened by the recent discovery of the bodies of 27 migrants, including four children, in the central African Chadian desert country.
The migrants reportedly left Moussoro, a crossroads town in West-Central Chad, 17 months ago on a bakkie.
According to authorities, it is believed the truck was lost in the deep desert, broke down due to mechanical issues and the migrants subsequently died of thirst, the UN agency reported.
“We are deeply saddened by this most recent tragedy and extend our heartfelt condolences to the migrants’ families,” said Anne Kathrin Schaefer, IOM Chad Chief of Mission.
“We need stronger collective action to prevent further deaths” she added.
According to the UN agency, IOM’s Missing Migrants Project has documented the deaths and disappearances of more than 5 600 people transiting through the Sahara Desert since 2014, with 149 deaths recorded so far in 2022.
Since 2014, 110 migrant deaths have been recorded within Chad, including this latest incident but these numbers are likely higher as many migrant deaths go unrecorded, leaving families worried and without answers as to their loved ones’ whereabouts.
Last June, 20 bodies of Chadians and Libyans were found in the Libyan desert, in Koufra, a town located along the Chad-Libya border.
“Without access to reliable information and safe migration pathways, migrants will continue to take risky roads through the deep and perilous desert, with tragic consequences,” says IOM’s Anne Schaefer.
The UN body is calling for a for stronger coordination and comprehensive support to enable search and rescue operations and provide humanitarian assistance and protection in extremely remote areas.
“This tragedy occurring on the dawn of International Migrants’ Day should be a wake-up call for us all to act more decisively to prevent migrant deaths along dangerous irregular migration routes”
According to Zambian authorities on Sunday, the bodies of 27 people, believed to be migrants from Ethiopia, were found dumped by the roadside in Ngwerere area north of Zambia’s capital Lusaka.
Ethiopia’s government will investigate the deaths of 27 Ethiopian migrants found dumped near Zambia’s capital, Lusaka.
The state Ethiopia News Agency said its country would send experts to the area to confirm the identities of the citizens who reportedly died while attempting to cross into South Africa illegally.
IOL
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