Authorities in northeastern Venezuela have discovered the bodies of 14 African migrants aboard a drifting boat in the state of Delta Amacuro, which borders the Atlantic Ocean, Interior and Justice Minister Diosdado Cabello announced late Wednesday.
“The victims were all from Africa,” Cabello said, confirming that some of the deceased carried Malian passports. He added that the migrants likely died from dehydration and starvation.
“They came from Africa. The current would have carried them away — we don’t know,” he added, suggesting the boat may have drifted for days before reaching Venezuelan waters.
The discovery comes just weeks after authorities in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines recovered 11 bodies from a similar boat in late May. That vessel also reportedly carried Malian nationals.
The circumstances surrounding the migrants’ journey remain unclear, but the incidents underscore the growing risks faced by migrants making transatlantic crossings in search of better opportunities.
AFP
