Back in March, a 22-year-old rapper named Sohail Al Sagheer left Algeria for Spain aboard a migrant boat. At least 741 people died on the Central Mediterranean route, while 149 people lost their lives crossing the Western Mediterranean. Another 250 people died while trying to reach the Canary Islands on the West Africa-Atlantic route, though that’s likely an undercount. More than 31,500 people were intercepted or rescued by North African authorities in the first half of 2021, IOM said. Director General António Vitorino called on Mediterranean states to “uphold their obligations under international law” and take steps to protect against the loss of life.

Source: The North Africa Journal July 15, 2021 14:48 UTC