Pakistan announced on Saturday that 22 Pakistani citizens who survived a migrant boat capsizing off Morocco’s coast will be repatriated.
The tragedy occurred on January 16 when a vessel carrying 80 passengers overturned near Dakhla. Over 40 Pakistanis reportedly died, with migrant rights group Walking Borders suggesting up to 50 fatalities in this incident.
The boat was sailing on a dangerous migration route to the Canary Islands from West Africa.
In response, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif dispatched a high-level delegation to Morocco. Officials gathered detailed accounts from the 21 survivors identified at the scene and coordinated with Pakistan’s embassy in Rabat to ensure their return.
The Foreign Ministry stated that repatriation efforts are underway, with survivors returning to Pakistan in phases. “Following thorough investigations and close coordination with Moroccan authorities, we are arranging their gradual return,” the ministry confirmed.
Meanwhile, the ministry noted that 11 other Pakistanis stranded in Mauritania have opted to return voluntarily and are undergoing a separate repatriation process.