At least 44 migrants drowned on Sunday when their boat capsized off the coast of Western Sahara, migrant aid agency Caminando Fronteras said. There was no immediate confirmation from authorities in Morocco, which sees disputed Western Sahara as an integral part of the North African kingdom. On Friday, Morocco and Spain said in a joint statement they were committed to strengthening cooperation on irregular migration. According to the Spanish interior ministry, more than 40,000 migrants arrived in the country by sea in 2021. That same year, according to Caminando Fronteras, 4,404 migrants died or went missing as they tried to reach Spain.

Source: The Guardian May 08, 2022 19:24 UTC