Victims lost their lives from thirst after getting lost trying to cross the sands in a van
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has indicated that 27 migrants, including four children, have deceased for thirst in the desert of Chad.
The IOM, which has been “deeply shocked and saddened”, has reported that the migrants left the Chadian city of Moussoro in a van 17 months ago. “The truck is believed to be missing. in the depths of the desert, it broke down due to mechanical problems and, subsequently, the migrants died of thirst,” the OIM said in a statement.
IOM Chad’s head of mission, Anne Kathrin Schaefer, has said “stronger collective action is needed to prevent further deaths.” “We are deeply saddened by this latest tragedy and extend our deepest condolences to the families of the migrants,” Schaefer said. “Without access to reliable information and safe migration routes, migrants will continue to take risky paths through the deep and dangerous desert, with tragic consequences,” said the IOM head of mission.
IOM’s Missing Migrants Project has documented the deaths and disappearances of more than 5,600 people transiting the Sahara desert since 2014, of which 149 deaths have been reported so far this year.