A grim discovery was made off the northeastern coast of Brazil on Saturday, April 13, 2024, when fishermen encountered a small boat loaded with severely decomposed bodies.
The boat, found floating off the coast of Bragança in Pará, was located approximately 185 miles from the state capital, Belém. The 39-foot long, white and blue canoe-shaped vessel resembles the Mauritanian fishing pirogues commonly used by migrants and refugees from West Africa trying to reach Spain’s Canary Islands, indicating that Brazil was likely not their destination.
The Brazilian Federal Public Ministry swiftly announced the launch of investigations to uncover the origins of the boat and the identities of the deceased. “Due to the decomposition of the remains, it’s unknown how many died on the boat,” a spokesperson for the ministry noted, reflecting the complexity of the investigation ahead. Based on the number of raincoats found in the boat, officials believe there were at least 25 people originally on board.
Forensic teams have been deployed to analyze the remains and any items found with the bodies that could provide clues to their identities or origin. Items and papers discovered near the deceased suggest they were migrants from Mauritania and Mali in Africa, according to a police statement, which also noted the possibility of other nationalities being among the victims. Local police chief João Mendes commented: “We are doing everything we can to piece together where this boat came from and who these people were. It’s a detailed process given the condition of the bodies.”
The Atlantic Ocean route off Brazil’s coast is notoriously dangerous, often used by migrants attempting to reach safer shores. Previous cases have shown that such journeys are hazardous, including the risk of boats drifting off course from strong Atlantic winds and tides. African migrants from Mali and Mauritania have previously traveled this route, aiming for the Canary Islands but missing their intended destination.
This isn’t the first time such a tragic discovery has been made in this part of the Atlantic. In 2021, at least seven boats laden with corpses were discovered along the coasts of Brazil and the Eastern Caribbean. These events involved migrants who had drifted across the ocean, with numerous deaths resulting from dehydration, malnutrition, or individuals jumping overboard out of desperation.
Authorities are working closely with international agencies to determine if the migrants might have been attempting to reach the Canary Islands, a common target for such dangerous journeys, only to be misdirected to Brazil’s shores by strong Atlantic currents.
As the Brazilian Federal Police continue their investigations, the community and international observers await answers. These findings not only highlight the ongoing migrant crisis but also the hazardous nature of such journeys that many undertake in search of a better life.
